Thompson Cancer Survival Center

At Thompson Cancer Survival Center, leading cancer specialists use the most advanced technologies to achieve breakthrough successes in treating many types of cancer. Our network of cancer care providers, including those in Thompson Oncology Group (our own medical oncology, hematology, and gynecologic oncology practice), is supported by a team of patient navigators, oncology pharmacists, dietitians, genetics counselors, clinical trial specialists, physicists, therapists, technologists, oncology nurses, social workers, and counselors, all working to treat and beat cancer. In addition to innovative technologies and treatment methodologies, Covenant Health added a new proton therapy center to the treatment options at Thompson Cancer Survival Center. Patients can now receive proton therapy as part of Covenant Health's umbrella of cancer services offered at Thompson Cancer Survival Center locations throughout the region and the Covenant Cancer Network. One of only 45 proton therapy facilities in the United States, Thompson Proton Center offers an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses beams of high-energy protons to treat various forms of cancer, while protecting nearby healthy tissue and vital organs from unnecessary radiation. Thompson Proton Center treated 354 patients in 2023.SERVICEThompson Cancer Survival Center ("TCSC") offers a range of cancer support services with the aim of providing patients receiving cancer treatment the best possible outcome for their individual situations. Support services include cancer outreach services, treatment care coordination and oncology clinical trials.Covenant Health facilities identify and refer patients to the TCSC Social Services Department. In 2023, there were 2,585 new patient referrals to Social Services and 7,064 follow-up patients. The Social Services department includes a nutritional counseling and education program and a genetics clinic. The nutritional counseling and education program had 3,641 new patient referrals in 2023 with 5,725 follow-up assessments and 4,934 education encounters to support patients. In 2023, the genetics clinic received referrals for 930 new patients who were in need of genetic counseling. Of these patients, 760 were scheduled, 576 completed genetic counseling, and 457 elected to pursue genetic testing. All patients were able to receive full personal and family history reviews, allowing for a thorough risk assessment for the potential of a hereditary cancer syndrome or other familial risk factors possibly not accounted for through genetic testing. The patients received education and counseling regarding their pursuit of genetic testing. When appropriate, patients received information about support resources for individuals in similar circumstances. Finally, all patients received recommendations for risk-reduction strategies personalized for their individual health history, family history, and genetic test results when available. A goal of TCSC is to provide treatment care coordination for each patient. This goal is achieved by two means: the Multidisciplinary Treatment program and the Nurse Navigator program.Multidisciplinary Treatment is a process of individual patient consultation with members of the patient's oncology care team, where treatment options are discussed based on that individual's circumstances. This approach gives the physician the opportunity to relate one-on-one with the oncology patient and explain treatment choices in layperson's language. Patients needing care coordination come from various Covenant Health organizations and other facilities. In 2023, the program added 3 navigators to expand service locations.The TCSC Nurse Navigator program was developed to help oncology patients overcome multiple barriers to healthcare, depending on their needs. Common barriers include financial, education, transportation, language, emotional, and the complexities of navigating a health care system. The TCSC Nurse Navigators guide patients to sources of financial support, help complete paperwork, educate patients on diagnoses and medical procedures, arrange and coordinate appointments with multiple providers, help with transportation, assist with housing, communicate with providers about unique patient needs, ensure medical records arrive at scheduled appointments, direct patients to support groups or counseling services, and attend patient appointments for support. Nurse Navigators work diligently to meet the needs of patients and families and become their liaisons between all physicians and services. There were 34,505 oncology patient education encounters in 2023, and 2,249 patients were assisted with their treatment by TCSC Nurse Navigators. For those patients who receive curative treatment, over 235 Survivorship Care Plans were completed by Nurse Navigators and discussed with patients in 2023.The Nurse Navigator is actively involved in the multidisciplinary care of patients. Nurse Navigators currently schedule, organize, oversee, summarize, and provide follow-up for four to five multidisciplinary cancer conferences per week. In 2023, 1,367 patients were presented at multidisciplinary conferences, with 174 of those patients being seen in our clinics where a Nurse Navigator is in attendance. TCSC continued all conferences in-person as well as via virtual format. In 2022, Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center became the first hospital in Tennessee to receive accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), affirming a commitment to providing the best possible care to patients with rectal cancer. Oncology clinical trials offer cancer patients access to proven standard cancer treatments and to newly developed cutting-edge therapies. Since the opening of TCSC in 1988, the Clinical Trials Department has enrolled 2,713 patients in oncology clinical trials. The TCSC Clinical Trials department currently has 11 active-treatment patients and 99 patients in follow-up studies. Because of the excellent research reputation of Dr. David Chism and the research team, TCSC continues to have new clinical trial opportunities offered to the team on a weekly basis. To help with screening efforts, Research Nurse Coordinators are assigned to specific physician schedules and to specific locations for coverage, including Thompson Oncology Groups in Oak Ridge, Sevierville, West Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville, and Lenoir City. Opening new studies increases referrals locally and regionally and gives current patients the ability to be treated with state-of-the-art care in their own communities. Involvement in prevention and treatment trials offers improved health strategies for individuals at risk for certain cancers.Other TCSC programs in place to support Covenant Health patients undergoing cancer treatment include the East Tennessee Cancer Registry and Cancer Outreach Services.