Cancer Care Services

At the VA, we are committed to providing Veterans with the best available care for their cancer diagnosis, this often requires a team approach. We provide high-quality, multidisciplinary team care. Veteran’s cases are presented weekly to a room of experts who review test results and images together in tumor boards, discuss clinical information, and review the latest recommendations from research studies before recommending a care plan.

Veteran Health Indiana offers a wide range of diagnostic tests and biopsy options to understand your cancer diagnosis and determine the most effective treatment for your personal care plan. Our radiology department provides services such as CT scans, ultrasound, MRI, 3-dimensional imaging, nuclear medicine, and treatments such as Pluvicto and Octreotide.  Our board-certified radiologists use cutting edge technology to provide accurate, efficient, and timely test results to Veterans and their referring providers.

Veteran Health Indiana offers a multidisciplinary lung cancer screening program. We are a specialized team of nurse coordinators, pulmonologists (lung doctors) and radiologists dedicated to providing this successful program to our Veterans. 

You should consider being screened for lung cancer if you have all three risk factors: 

• 50–80 years old and
• A current smoker or a former smoker who quit less than 15 years ago and
• A smoking history of at least 20 pack-years (this means 1 pack per day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10 years, etc.). The more you smoke and the longer you smoke, the higher your risk for lung cancer. 

If you are interested, please contact your primary care provider for a consult today. 

Screening for Lung Cancer - National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The comprehensive Surgery Service is staffed with Indiana University School of Medicine board-certified faculty providing comprehensive evaluation and treatment for tumors of all areas including the head and neck, lung, upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, skin, and neurosurgery. Their expertise covers a broad range of procedures, including sentinel lymph node mapping, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, and complex oncologic resections.

Add link to picture/bio of surgeons* This will have to go in a different section

For more information, please call our General Surgery RN Care Coordinator (?) 317-988-____. 

Interventional Radiology uses advanced imaging, such as X-ray fluoroscopy, ultrasound, CT scans and MRIs, to diagnose and treat cancers with minimally invasive techniques, thus avoiding the need for open surgery. Treatments available at our facility include chemoembolization, Y90 radioembolization, and percutaneous thermal ablation (radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation).

Add link to picture/bio of IR providers* This will have to go in bio section

For more information, please call our Interventional Radiology RN Care Coordinator 317-988-____

Veteran Health Indiana Medical Oncology and Hematology services and clinics are committed to providing advanced, quality healthcare that promotes and improves our Veteran’s health and well-being. Our team has special training in cancer care (medical oncology and hematology). Your care team will include board certified physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, health techs, patient-care coordinators, and a medical support assistant. 

Our team educates Veterans about their cancer diagnosis and uses the latest advances in cancer treatment to create a personal treatment plan. We partner with Veterans to identify the goals of treatment, such as to cure the cancer, treat cancer symptoms, and improve quality of life. 

Medical Oncology provides specialized care for many different types of cancer, such as colon, lung, and prostate. Treatment options may include intravenous or oral chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. Oncology addresses treatment side effects during and after treatment and supports Veterans through their recovery. Our experts are subspecialized with focus on thoracic, gastrointestinal and genitourinary malignancies.

For more information, please call our Oncology Nurse Care Coordinator

Hematology provides specialized care for all types of blood disorders. This includes hematologic cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myeloproliferative disorders. We also specialize in non-malignant problems such as anemia, iron deficiency, blood clots, and bleeding disorders. 

For more information, please call our Hematology Nurse Care Coordinator

The cancer care clinic provides care and support when intravenous chemotherapy or immunotherapy is part of your personal care plan. Oncology nurses and navigators, providers, and pharmacists are on hand to educate Veterans, assess and manage symptoms, and provide treatment and follow-up. Adjustable chairs are provided to promote comfort. To streamline your care, appointments may be combined with nutrition, social work, or palliative care when needed.

Veteran Health Indiana participates in the VA National Precision Oncology Program (NPOP).  It aims to help find genetic alterations in cancers which would give Veterans dealing with cancer better treatments that are less toxic. 

Veterans with certain types of cancer undergo molecular testing of tumors to find better treatments.  Veterans with cancer have access to:

• Molecular testing of tumor
• The most cutting-edge therapies to treat genetic changes
• Genetic counseling
• Access to clinical studies at other VA institutions if applicable

Veterans at Veteran Health Indiana have already benefited significantly from this approach. 

For more information, please visit VA National Precision Oncology Program (NPOP).

The Palliative Care Team provides specialized care for Veterans with potentially life limiting illness and their families. Palliative care focuses on treating physical symptoms of the illness as well as psychological, social, and spiritual issues to maximize quality of life. The team includes a physician, nurse practitioner, social worker, psychologist, and chaplain. The Palliative Care Team sees patients both in the hospital and in outpatient clinic settings.

Veteran Health Indiana offers video telehealth for many oncology appointments such as Medical Oncology and Hematology. Telehealth allows you to receive care from our cancer experts closer to home. It may be available at your home or local VA community-based outpatient clinic.

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD