While surgery and radiation are considered local therapies because they treat tumors at the site, chemotherapy is considered a systemic therapy because it circulates through the body in the bloodstream. Other types of systemic treatment are hormonal therapy, antiangiogenesis agents and vaccines. Systemic therapies are given by mouth, injection or infusion (IV).

The inpatient chemotherapy infusion center at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver is located on the first floor of the hospital and has been newly remodeled with patient comfort in mind. We know how important comfort is during chemotherapy treatment so the new rooms are spacious and include reclining chairs. The nurses on the inpatient oncology unit are certified oncology nurses to ensure our patients receive the highest quality of care. The clinical pharmacist reviews all chemotherapy in the infusion center to assure dosage is appropriately based on renal and liver function and other medical indications.

Cypress Hematology & Oncology is located on the second floor of the Porter Cancer Care Center. Both Dr. Nadine Mikhaeel and Dr. Thomas Kenney completed their fellowship training at the University of Colorado, and they are board certified in hematology and oncology. They provide care for a broad spectrum of cancers as well as blood disorders. The medical oncologist often becomes the lead member of a cancer patient’s health care team, prescribes chemotherapy or other drug therapies, helps make informed decisions about individual treatment plans, organizes the execution of the plan and provides long term follow up and screening.

The clinic provides infusion service, has five OCN certified chemotherapy infusion nurses and is equipped with 11 infusion chairs. Cases are discussed at a weekly tumor conference where history, imaging and pathology are reviewed by a panel of physicians including oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, radiologists and pathologists. The clinic also participates in clinical trials through the Colorado Cancer Research Program.