Piatt County Oncology Clinic
Kirby Medical Center Cancer Treatment
As scary as a cancer diagnosis can be, it does not mean your life is ruined.
In recent years, cancer treatments have been drastically improved to help
patients better fight the disease and enjoy a better quality of life.
At Kirby Medical Center we use state-of-the-art equipment and National
Cancer Institute-research programs to provide excellent oncology services
in Piatt County.
The Oncology Specialty Clinic is run by Dr. Sebastian S. Kairoz, who sees
patients on Tuesday at Kirby Medical Center. Dr. Kairoz is board certified
in Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine. He is a member
of the American Society of Hematology and American Society of Clinical
Oncology. He is highly experienced in cancer treatments and committed
to learning everything he can about the still somewhat mysterious disease.
Oncology services at Kirby Medical Center include:
- Medical evaluations
- Diagnostic lab and x-ray exams
- Planning treatment goals with patients
- Chemotherapy and other cancer treatments
Understanding Cancer
It is important, and often comforting, to know everything you can about
cancer when fighting it. Cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop in
the body and start reproducing. There is no known definitive cause cancer
cells, but excessive exposure to carcinogens and radiation are known to
play a part.
In most forms of cancer, the abnormal cells will clump together and form
a growth called a tumor. From here the cancer cells spread out into the
body and start attacking healthy cells. To cure cancer, these abnormal
cells must be completely eradicated. There are numerous means of doing
this, and one of the most common and effective ways is chemotherapy.
How Chemotherapy Fights Cancer
Chemotherapy is a powerful medication administered through an IV. It is
applied to the primary cluster of cancer cells and kills them. While effective,
chemotherapy can be tough on patients because the medication has a hard
time differentiating healthy cells from cancer cells and ends up killing
both. Cancer researchers are continuously trying to correct this.
At Kirby Medical Center, chemotherapy is administered by a registered nurse.
Dr. Kairouz works with patients to explore a variety of treatments and
determine which is right for them. Most cancer treatments involve a combination
of treatments, which typically includes some form of chemotherapy.
Kirby Medical Center is dedicated to helping patients fight cancer and
live comfortably. Call (217) 876-6600 for more about our oncology services.