
CCK Treatment Plans & Diagnosis Info
Personalized Cancer CareOnce a proper diagnosis has been made, your CCK physician will discuss with you appropriate treatment options and create a plan that is right for you. These options are influenced greatly by several factors, including your specific type of cancer, the staging of your cancer, your overall health condition and the goals of treatment.
At CCK, we believe strongly in personalized cancer care. This results in each patient’s treatment plan is designed specifically for them. Even among patients with the same type of cancer, there can be great variation in the response to treatment or characteristics of the cancer that our CCK physician will consider in the treatment assessment and planning.
About Cancer
Information regarding Cancer, Diagnosis & Treatment
What Is Cancer?
Simply defined, cancer is a disease characterized by the growth of abnormal cells which may damage or destroy normal body tissue. Our bodies have the capacity to control cell growth and reproduction, but sometimes this mechanism fails and a tumor may form. There are also non-tumor cancers which form in the blood or bone marrow and circulate throughout the body.
Why Do People Get Cancer?
It is not known why some people get cancer while others do not. However, we do know that certain risk factors increase a person’s chance of getting cancer.
Risk Factors Include:
- Age – While cancer can be diagnosed at any age, the majority of cancers can take many years to develop, and is therefore more commonly diagnosed in adults 65 or older.
- Lifestyle – While cancer can be diagnosed at any age, the majority of cancers can take many years to develop, and is therefore more commonly diagnosed in adults 65 or older.
- Family History – We know that genetics play a role in developing certain types of cancer. Genetic mutations can be passed from one generation to the next. Patients with a strong family history of certain types of cancer may be referred for genetic testing.
- Your Environment – Direct exposure to certain things in our environment may increase the risk of cancer. For example, if you do not smoke, you may inhale secondhand smoke from being or living with someone who does smoke. Certain chemicals used in the workplace, such as asbestos and benzene, have also been directly linked to cancer.

How is Cancer Diagnosed?
Cancer must be detected before it can be diagnosed. In some situations, patients may notice a lump, or some abnormality on their body. Other times, the patient’s lab results may show a suspicious irregularity. These symptoms are researched through various testing mechanisms (biopsy, CT Scans, X-rays, PET Scans, MRI). If a biopsy is performed, the tissue is sent for pathology, and a diagnosis is made. Once the diagnosis is made, the cancer is staged, which means a determination is made as to whether the cancer has spread (metastasized), and if so, to which parts of the body. The stages of cancer range from I to IV. The lower the stage, the less extensive the spread.

How is Cancer Treated?
Generally speaking, treatment for cancer depends a great deal on the specific diagnosis and stage of the cancer, and may include surgery to remove the cancer, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, or certain other therapies which stimulate the body’s immune system to identify and kill cancer cells.
After years of research, we are now able to identify and combat many cancers at the genetic level. Some cancers are no longer identified according to where they are located in the body, but the type of genetic mutation involved.