Newly Diagnosed

Palo Verde Cancer Specialists Help You with Compassionate Care

Palo Verde Cancer Specialists provides you compassionate care, and our dedicated oncology clinic team will help create a treatment plan for your specific condition. When you are first diagnosed with cancer, you will most likely feel shocked, overwhelmed, and afraid. Few cancers require emergency treatment, so you have time to get as much information as you can and get a second opinion if you desire, which will help you make informed decisions about your cancer treatment. Palo Verde Cancer Specialists will work with you every step of the way to explore your options and decide on your treatment—that’s why we want to help address some initial questions you may have about cancer.

What is Cancer?

Cancer can occur in different areas of the body, and each type of cancer is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells. Under normal conditions, cell reproduction is carefully controlled by the body, but these controls can malfunction and result in abnormal cell growth and the development of a lump, mass, or tumor. Some cancers involving the blood and blood-forming organs do not form tumors but circulate through other tissues where they grow. A tumor may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Cells from cancerous tumors can spread throughout the body, through a process called metastasis, and cancer cells break away from the original tumor and travel in the circulatory or lymphatic systems until they are lodged in a small capillary network in another area of the body. Common locations of metastasis are the bones, lungs, liver, and central nervous system. The type of cancer refers to the organ or area of the body where the disease first occurred. Cancer that has metastasized to other areas is still named from the origination, such as “metastatic breast cancer.”

Why Do People Get Cancer?

Although every patient and family member wants to know the answer to this question, the reason people develop cancer is not well understood. There are some known carcinogens (cancer-causing materials), but many are still undiscovered. We do not understand why some people exposed to carcinogens get cancer, while others do not. The length and amount of exposure are believed to affect the chances of developing cancer. For example, as exposure to cigarette smoking increases, the chance of developing lung cancer also increases. Genetics also plays an important role in whether an individual develops cancer, and certain types of cancers have a genetic component, like breast cancer.

Contact Our Oncology Clinic Today

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, Palo Verde Cancer Specialists is prepared to help you do everything to beat it. All five of our oncology clinic locations  are equipped with the latest in cutting-edge cancer treatment technology, as well as compassionate care that is second to none. If you’d like to learn more about our cancer centers, our medical team, and our services, please contact us to schedule a consultation. Together, we will work with you to overcome cancer!