Cancer Care Above and Beyond: Our Unique Offerings

To keep patients close to home for cancer care, we at Premier Health know we have to go above and beyond in bringing advanced technologies and programs to Southwest Ohio. 

In 2020, we were particularly proud to offer these services to our community.

Monarch Robotic Bronchoscopy

Premier Health was the first in Ohio to use the MonarchTM Platform, a robotic bronchoscope (scope used to view the lungs) that enables pulmonary specialists to navigate and search the delicate, distant branches of the lungs. Monarch allows them to obtain tissue samples from hard-to-reach nodules for biopsy.

The improved reach and vision of this innovative technology offered at Miami Valley Hospital provides a chance for earlier diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Lung cancer typically has no symptoms in its early stages, so this gives new hope for finding cancer early, before it spreads.

Pulmonary specialists use a controller to guide the flexible robotic bronchoscope down the patient’s throat and into a lung. Doctors can see images inside the lung throughout the procedure, enabling them to precisely remove tissue samples for study. The Miami Valley Hospital Foundation, provided funds for the new equipment.

Liver Cancer Center of Ohio

Many liver cancers aren’t discovered until an advanced stage, often making them more challenging to treat. To ease the burden on patients facing this diagnosis, we bring together the team engaged in the fight against liver cancer. Patients who come to the Liver Cancer Center of Ohio see both a surgical oncologist and interventional radiologist in the same visit at Premier Surgical Oncology in Centerville.

James Ouellette, DO, FACS, and Matthew Doepker, MD, our surgical oncologists and Shannon Kauffman, MD, our interventional radiologist, as well as advanced practice providers and other staff work closely with a patient’s established oncologists, gastroenterologists, primary care physicians, and other care providers to create a personalized treatment plan for each individual.

Depending on the origin of the tumor, a unique plan will be created for patients that encompasses advanced treatments available through the program, including surgical options, ablation, liver directed radiation and chemotherapy, or other evolving approaches.

Our multidisciplinary approach with surgical oncology and interventional radiology makes us the only program in Ohio – and one of only a few in the country – to combat liver cancer in this coordinated way.

Head and Neck Cancer Program

Dayton’s first and only comprehensive head and neck cancer program is led by Sameep Kadakia, MD. He has advanced training in both head and neck cancer and reconstructive plastic surgery. He specializes in cancers of the skull base, thyroid, tongue, jaw, throat, sinuses, esophagus, and anything connected with the head and neck. He uses special techniques to surgically manage advanced head and neck cancer. Dr. Kadakia also removes cancers that recur after treatment and performs complex and challenging reconstructive surgeries.

“I can perform the full gamut of head and neck reconstruction, including local and regional [skin] flaps,” Dr. Kadakia says. “My expertise also includes microvascular free tissue reconstruction, whereby I can reconstruct any head and neck defect using various muscle, skin, and bone grafts from different parts of the body to restore function to the operated area.”

Dr. Kadakia works closely with neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and pathologists to thoroughly understand the cancer and develop a treatment plan that strives to produce a positive result for the patient. For his most complex cases, Dr. Kadakia consults with MD Anderson physicians via MD Anderson Cancer Network, to receive their input and suggestions.

Advanced Prostate Cancer Center

In collaboration with Dayton Physicians Network, Premier Health cares for men experiencing advanced stages of prostate cancer at our Advanced Prostate Cancer Center, located at Miami Valley Hospital South. Advanced prostate cancer means it has spread to other parts of the body, most often to bone, lymph nodes, and liver.

We have urologists, oncologists, radiation oncologists, and a nurse navigator all coming to the center and working together to provide men with high quality care. Treatment options include advanced robotic surgery with urologist Erik Weise, MD; chemotherapy; palliative radiation (comfort care); immunotherapy that stimulates the body’s own immune system; bone strengthening drugs to increase bone mass and lower the risk of bone fracture; and other medicines that help slow the growth of cancer cells or kill prostate cancer cells that are in the prostate or have traveled to other parts of the body.

To provide additional support to men with advanced prostate cancer, the center offers a workout program and multiple support groups.

Linear Accelerator Upgrades

Upgraded tumor-fighting linear accelerators were installed at multiple Premier Health sites in 2019 and 2020 in partnership with Radiation Oncology Services, which is composed of Dayton Physicians Network, Premier Health, and Wayne HealthCare. The upgraded machines deliver radiation treatment more efficiently and reduce side effects in patients. By providing up-to-date technology in a variety of neighborhoods, Premier Health aims to reduce travel time for patients and enable them to find treatment options close to home.

Locations of the upgraded linear accelerators include:

Gynecologic Oncology Center

Michael Guy, MD, gynecologic oncologist, and his associates work together to personalize a treatment plan for each woman who has a gynecologic cancer – whether it’s cervical, endometrial, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, or vulvar.

All care and treatment, except for radiation therapy, is provided at our Miami Valley Hospital South location. For radiation therapy, we have several locations throughout Southwest Ohio to make radiation treatments more convenient for patients.

Our gynecologic cancer specialists routinely hold multispecialty tumor conferences to review and discuss patient cases. This gives patients the benefit of several expert perspectives on how to best treat the cancer. For the most challenging cases, they may consult with an MD Anderson cancer expert or present at an MD Anderson Multidisciplinary Planning Conference. 

Numerous clinical trials are available to eligible Premier Health cancer patients thanks to our partnerships with Wright State University, Dayton Clinical Oncology Program, and Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) Foundation. In 2020, we offered more than 110 individual trials, which gives our patients access to treatment options not readily available elsewhere.