The Lawson Cancer Center
Advanced Cancer Care Close to Home
Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, and getting answers and treatment quickly is crucial. At Pikeville Medical Center, our cancer specialists work together to create the best treatment plan for you as soon as possible.
Our care is always focused on you. You deserve the most advanced cancer treatment available, close to home and delivered with compassion every step of the way.
Christa’s Story – I Am A Survivor
The future of cancer care isn’t tomorrow. At Pikeville Medical Center’s Lawson Cancer Center, we have the expertise and leading-edge technology to fight it today. With capabilities to provide full-service cancer treatment and follow-up care, the Lawson Cancer Center is one of a select few cancer centers in Kentucky to hold accreditation from the Commission on Cancer with commendations.
Staffed by expert oncologists, surgical specialists, nurses, pharmacists, patient navigators and many other highly trained healthcare professionals, the Lawson Cancer Center makes it convenient for patients across Eastern Kentucky to receive advanced cancer care close to home.
Our Services
LLCC is among a relatively small percentage of cancer centers approved to offer some of the newest treatments to qualifying cancer patients in the form of clinical trials. Clinical trials are research studies that involve people and are the final step in the long process of developing a new drug. Patients whose cancer has not responded well to treatment and who meet specific qualifications are given the option to participate in a clinical trial, giving them access to new medications not yet available to the majority of patients.
Radiation Therapy utilizes highly controlled and accurate techniques to eradicate cancer cells with radiation. Our radiation oncologists specialize in the treatment of breast, brain, spine, lung, head and neck cancers as well as cancers of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract, including prostate and gynecologic, abdominal disease and bone.
Staffed by expert oncologists, nurses, pharmacists, patient navigators and many other highly trained healthcare professionals, LLCC provides quality care close to home.
- Hematology
- On-Site Biopsies
- Surgical Services
- Financial Counseling/Co-Pay Assistance
- Radiation Therapy
- Genetic Counseling
- Palliative Care
- Patient Navigation
- Dietician
- Mental Health Services
- Laboratory services
OTHER ONCOLOGY SERVICES
- Hematology & Medical Oncology
- Hematological Diseases
- Benign Blood Disorders
- Malignant Blood Disorders
- Bleeding Disorders
- Solid Tumors
- Diagnosis, Staging & Management of all Malignancies
- Hormonal Cancer Therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Management of Malignant & Non-Malignant Cancers
- Hypofractionation
- HDR Brachytherapy
- Skin eBx Treatment
- Intensity Modulated Radiation
- 3D Conformal Treatment
- Electron Therapy
- Image Guided Radiation
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery
- Radiopharmaceuticals
- CT Stimulation
From support groups to nutrition classes, our team is here to support you and your family in your journey through diagnosis and treatment. Click here to learn more.
Brad Collett, MD
Christopher Croot, MD
Mohamed El Dinali, MD
Anna Johnson, DO
Ruth Lavigne, MD
Vickie Morgan, MD
Nicholas Schaub, MD
Elyn Wang, MD, Pharm.D
Kendra Drake, APRN
Darlene Ellis, APRN
Patsy Howell, APRN
Lawanna McGuire, APRN
Learn about cancer screenings available at Pikeville Medical Cancer Center
Behind heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. While Pikeville Medical Center’s Lawson Cancer Center has advanced capabilities to fight the disease, our expert physicians will tell you that the best way to wage battle is to detect cancer in its earliest stages.
Early detection starts when you maintain a regular schedule of routine screenings.
Many routine cancer screenings at Pikeville Medical Center are available to be scheduled online or facilitated through a call. Click on the screening tabs below for information and for links to get scheduled today.
Most insurance plans fully or partially pay for preventive screenings.
Check with your insurance provider to determine coverage under your plan for the screenings outlined in each of the sections below.
Breast Cancer Screenings
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women with one in eight women being diagnosed with it during their lifetimes. Pikeville Medical Center has the advanced capability to diagnose it in its earliest stages, when its most effectively treated.
Pikeville Medical Center recommends the following breast cancer screening protocols for women:
Breast Self-Exams
Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform breast self-exams at least once a month.
Clinical Breast Exams
Your Ob/Gyn provider will conduct a physical exam of your breast during your annual women’s health screening as a check for lumps or other changes.
Mammograms
Regular mammograms are the best test doctors have to find breast cancer early. Women ages 40 to 44 should have the option to start receiving annual mammograms. Women ages 45-54 should get mammograms every year. Women aged 55 and older may switch to receiving a mammogram every other year, or they may continue yearly screening.
Pikeville Medical Center provides women access to leading-edge 3-D mammography technology with the ability to detect up to 65 percent more invasive breast cancers than that of standard mammography equipment.
Ultrasounds
Pikeville Medical Center offers a testing option as a supplement to a routine mammogram for women with dense breast tissue through our Automated Breast Ultrasound System 2.0, by GE. Discuss this option with your doctor.
Cervical Cancer Screenings
Pap Screenings
Pap smears look for precancerous cells of the cervix that may progress to cervical cancer if not treated appropriately. Women should begin getting pap smears at age 21 every three years. Beginning at age 30, pap smears are recommended every three years or every five years if also screened for HPV. Screenings are typically continued until age 65, but based on your medical history you may require additional screening.
HPV Screenings
HPV screenings look for high risk types of HPV that can lead to pre-cancerous changes and cancers of the cervix and vulva. HPV screenings are often done together with a Pap smear although they can be done as a stand-alone test. Pikeville Medical Center also offers vaccination against HPV with the Gardasil vaccine that can help prevent cervical cancer and genital warts.
Lung Cancer Screenings
According the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women (excluding skin cancer) as well as the leading cause of cancer death. Early detection and the ability to begin treatment as soon as possible is therefore very important.
Low-Dose CT Scans
The screening test recommended for lung cancer is low-dose computed tomography, more commonly known as a low-dose CT scan. Low-dose CT scans are advised for men and women who:
- Have a 20 pack-year* or more smoking history, and
- Smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years, and
- Are between the ages of 50 and 80
*A pack-year is smoking an average of one pack of cigarettes per day for one year. As an example, a 20 pack-year history can therefore equal a person smoking one pack a day for 20 years, or a person smoking two packs a day for 10 years.
Colon Cancer Screenings
Excluding some types of skin cancer, colon/colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. This type of cancer can, however, be effectively treated when detected early. There are a variety of screening options, and it is recommended that all men and women ages 50 to 75 be routinely tested. Some sources indicate for screenings to begin as early as age 45.
Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is considered the most sensitive colon cancer screening test, allowing the physician to view the entire colon and rectum during the procedure. This screening further allows the physician to remove any abnormal tissue or polyps during the course of the exam. A colonoscopy is recommended every 10 years for those in the age range identified above.
Other Screening Options:
- Stool Tests
- Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
- CT Colonography
Pikeville Medical Center recommends that you talk to your primary care provider about the pros and cons of each test, which test is best for you and the frequency of your testing schedule.
Prostate Cancer Screenings
- Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and who are expected to live at least 10 more years.
- Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African American and men who have a father or brother (first-degree relative) who were diagnosed with prostate cancer when younger than 65.
- Age 40 for men at even higher risk, which include those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age.
Genetic Testing
Genetic tests look for changes in DNA that are associated with a high risk of inherited cancer. Testing helps inform individuals of cancer risk, including breast, ovarian, uterine and melanoma. Genetic counseling is performed before testing to develop a plan of action, which may include surgery, preventative therapies and frequent screenings.
Candidates May Have:
- Personal or family history of cancer
- Family history of cancer diagnosed at a young age
- Multiple family members with the same type of cancer
- Family member with more than one cancer diagnosis
- Family member with a rare type of cancer
- Family history of a genetic alteration associated with a hereditary cancer syndrome
Candidates May Have:
- Personal or family history of cancer
- Family history of cancer diagnosed at a young age
- Multiple family members with the same type of cancer
- Family member with more than one cancer diagnosis
- Family member with a rare type of cancer
- Family history of a genetic alteration associated with a hereditary cancer syndrome
Directions
Lawson Cancer Center
PMC Clinic Building, 10th Floor
911 S. Bypass Road
Pikeville, KY 41501
Medical Oncology/Hematology and Surgical Oncology
Radiation Oncology
May Tower, 1st Floor
911 Bypass Road, Building A, Pikeville, KY 41501
Special parking is available for PMC Cancer Patients on the 1st and 10th Floors of the parking garage.
The Lawson Cancer Center at Pikeville Medical Center is using innovative technology to treat patients whose treatment plans call for radiation therapy. PMC has installed two state-of-the-art TrueBeam Linear Accelerators from Varian Medical Systems, which allows radiation oncologists at the Lawson Cancer Center to deliver radiation treatments more accurately than ever before.
The TrueBeam Linear Accelerator allows PMC’s radiation oncologists to target and treat very precise areas of the body. During a treatment, the radiation beam is continually shaped and reshaped according to the size, shape and position of the tumor, resulting in the protection of healthy, surrounding tissue.
PMC Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Ruth Lavigne, was interviewed by WSAZ’s Susan Nicholas and discussed skin cancer prevention tips, skin cancer types and treatments, as well as the addition of a second, new linear accelerator.
The Scheduling line is open from 8:00am-4:30pm M-F
Latest News
Advanced Care & Compassion Close To Home
At Pikeville Medical Center (PMC), the Lawson Cancer Center (LCC) serves as a source of hope and healing for patients and families navigating the challenges
PMC Celebrates Completion of Two-Year Lung Cancer Screening Grant
Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) recently hosted a special Lunch and Learn Celebration to mark the conclusion of a transformative lung cancer screening collaboration that is
June Is National Cancer Survivor Month
June is nationally recognized as Cancer Survivors Month—a time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and journeys of those who have faced a cancer diagnosis. Pikeville
PMC Encourages Breast Cancer Awareness And Screenings
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and health experts are reminding women of the critical importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer.