James McGee, MD, MHCM, FACRO, president of the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute, says those risks can quietly build over time.

"Farmers who are out in the sun all of the time might get skin cancers across the head and neck areas. As they get older and their immune system declines, those become more numerous," Dr. McGee says. "Sometimes that's a prelude to getting a melanoma."

Sun exposure, immunity and cumulative risk

Melanoma risk is influenced by both genetics and sun exposure. That exposure doesn’t always come from a single event. Gradual, day-after-day sun exposure – common in farming and outdoor work – can be just as harmful as intense sun exposure that causes blistering sunburns or sun poisoning.

Repeated skin blistering from sunburn has been linked to the development of more aggressive melanoma later in life. As people age, natural changes in immune function can make it harder for the body to recognize and repair damaged cells, increasing cancer risk.

Occupational patterns also matter. For example, truck drivers who spend years with one arm exposed to the sun through a window may face a higher risk of melanoma on that consistently exposed side compared to the other.

New research links agriculture and melanoma risk

Recent research adds an important environmental and agricultural layer to the melanoma conversation. After analyzing five years of cancer registry data researchers identified a cluster of elevated melanoma rates across a 15-county region of south central Pennsylvania, affecting adults over the age of 50. People in that region were significantly more likely to develop melanoma than residents elsewhere in the state.

Importantly, the increased risk was not limited to strictly rural areas. The cluster included both rural and metropolitan counties, suggesting melanoma risk can extend beyond traditionally “outdoor-only” assumptions.

Even after accounting for ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels and socioeconomic factors, two strong patterns emerged: counties with higher amounts of cultivated cropland and counties with greater herbicide use had notably higher melanoma rates. Previous studies referenced by the researchers suggest certain agricultural chemicals may increase sensitivity to sunlight and interfere with immune function or cause DNA damage – all of which may contribute to melanoma development over time.

Understanding melanoma biology and treatment advances

"Melanomas are all related but can have different molecular signatures that are associated with the underlying cause of the melanoma, region of the body and demographic factors," Dr. McGee points out.

Those molecular differences can offer important clues about which treatments may be most effective. One example is BRAF-related melanoma, which involves a specific genetic change within the tumor. Identifying those changes allows care teams to personalize treatment plans.

Melanoma is also categorized by where it starts in the body. Cutaneous melanoma begins in the skin, while mucosal melanomas develop in areas like the mouth or genital tract. Each type behaves differently and may require a different treatment approach.

Imaging, staging and immune response

Diagnosis often begins with a biopsy of a suspicious skin lesion. From there, doctors may evaluate nearby lymph nodes and use advanced imaging – such as PET scans or MRI scans of the brain – to determine if the cancer has spread. This staging process provides a clearer picture of both disease extent and tumor biology.

Genetic testing of various types can be used to predict treatment response, assess the likelihood of spread, or determine increased risk for subsequent cancers, helping guide both treatment and future surveillance.

Radiation, immunotherapy and a changing treatment landscape

Radiation has traditionally been used to treat melanoma that has spread to the brain or bones. However, melanoma cells contain precursor chemicals that help create melanin pigment, which can act as a radioprotective compound. That protection can make standard radiation doses less effective.

Dr. McGee says delivering a larger dose of radiation all at once can overcome that barrier.

"More and more we're seeing that immunotherapy is coming into play for a possible treatment of melanoma. We've known for a long time that melanomas can act weirdly," Dr. McGee points out. "There have been a lot of reports that were thought to be just happenstance of patients treated with radiosurgery for brain metastases for melanoma, who then had other lesions in their body, get better as well. Those weren't radiated."

In some cases, radiation appears to trigger an immune response. Radiation can cause tumor cells to release antigens, signaling the immune system to attack melanoma cells elsewhere in the body. Combining radiation therapy with immunotherapy is an approach increasingly used for melanoma and other skin cancers.

Dr. McGee now commonly uses a single, high-dose radiosurgery approach. He recently treated a patient with 23 brain metastases in one session that lasted about 20 minutes, with strong responses seen across all lesions. Understanding the underlying biology of melanoma has helped improve these outcomes.

Immunotherapy and survival trends

Immunotherapy has become a powerful option in melanoma treatment, helping the immune system better recognize and destroy cancer cells. These advances are reflected in national survival trends.

According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma death rates in the United States declined sharply between 2013 and 2022, largely due to treatment improvements.

For 2025, the American Cancer Society estimates:

• Nearly 105,000 new melanoma diagnoses
• More than 8,400 melanoma-related deaths nationwide

Melanoma risk increases with age, with the average diagnosis occurring at 66. However, it remains one of the more common cancers in young adults, particularly young women. Lighter skin tone is a significant risk factor, though melanoma can affect people of all skin colors.

Prevention and the role of primary care

While not all melanoma risk can be eliminated, everyday choices can make a difference. Wearing sunscreen, choosing protective clothing, limiting prolonged sun exposure, moderating alcohol intake and avoiding blistering sunburns can all help reduce risk.

Primary care teams play a key role in prevention and early detection.

"One of our major projects is going to be getting our primary care offices to get equipped with tools to help motivate people to reduce their cancer risk through things that are tolerable for them to do," Dr. McGee says. "This gives them the hope that we can reduce their cancer risks."

Increasingly, computer applications and artificial intelligence (AI) are showing promise to help patients and providers sort out suspicious lesions that need to be prioritized for evaluation vs. lesions that have a lower risk of being cancerous.

For people living and working in rural and agricultural communities, understanding how sun exposure, environmental factors and immune health intersect may be the key to catching melanoma earlier or preventing it altogether.

Video Interview Clips

When it comes to lowering your risk of cancer, what you add to your plate can make a meaningful difference.

Jeanna Rich, an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services, says the key is nourishing the body with whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich foods and Omega-3s.

As someone who works closely with cancer patients, Rich encourages people to think of food as a daily opportunity to fuel the immune system and support long-term health.

Why fiber matters

Most Americans fall short on fiber; a nutrient vital for good gut bacteria, healthy digestion and lowering the risk of colorectal cancer.

Rich says increasing fiber can be simple. Start by working whole grains into meals: oats, wild rice, flax seed, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds. They can easily be sprinkled onto cottage cheese, Greek yogurt or oatmeal to boost texture and nutrition.

Research backs up these benefits. A large group of researchers from 15 international cohort studies, including scientists from the American Cancer Society (ACS), analyzed data from more than 842,000 men across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Their findings suggest that dietary fiber may lower the risk of developing advanced and aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Additional ACS findings note that whole grains may help fight against advanced prostate cancer.

Rich offers a practical approach to building a fiber-forward breakfast.

"Another great way to add fiber is with our yogurt. A lot of us make yogurt parfaits, but here's a way to take it to the next level. Add chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts," Rich says. "Top them with berries, which contain a ton of fiber."

Berries – whether fresh or frozen – are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and deep pigments that signal high nutrient content. Rich recommends buying frozen berries and storing them in the fridge to thaw, making them easy to add into yogurt, cottage cheese or morning oatmeal. Frozen produce can be a cost-effective option, especially when items are out of season, Rich says. Thanks to the flash-freezing process, these foods retain their nutrients and offer the same high-quality nutrition as fresh varieties, she adds.

Other high-fiber additions include quinoa, lentils and canned beans, which are paired well with salads, vegetables and hearty meals.

The power of Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in reducing inflammation and strengthening immune cells.

Some plant-based Omega-3s are found in foods like ground flax seed, but Rich notes that fish-based sources are more efficiently used by the body.

"Some Omega-3s will be found in ground flax seed. However, your body doesn't utilize it as effectively. So, you want to go for those Omega-3s, found in salmon. Keep it frozen in your freezer and choose products that are wild caught. That will have a higher concentration of Omega-3s," Rich says. "Omega-3s help decrease inflammation in our body and increases our fighter cells, so it's a wonderful way to protect from chronic disease and cancer."

Salmon can easily be added into breakfast dishes, salads or purchased as salmon patties. Canned sardines are another convenient, nutrient-dense option.

A need for more vegetables, and more variety

Despite growing awareness of the benefits of produce, Americans still struggle to get enough vegetables into their diet.

"A lot of us are not getting enough vegetables. Many Americans are getting a decent amount of fruit, but vegetables are the tricky ones. When it comes to veggies, diversity is key," Rich says. "On average, most of us only use the same 10 vegetables in our eating routine."

Rich encourages using easy steamer bags filled with multiple vegetables. These mixes often include an array of colors – a good sign you're getting a wide range of nutrients that help fight cancer and chronic disease.

The benefits of polyphenols

Colorful fruits and vegetables bring another powerful nutrient group: polyphenols.

"Polyphenols, flavonoids and lycopene are some key words you may be hearing. Those are the things that are activated in your body and helping protect you," Rich says. "Polyphenols are becoming very popular and are in studies about the gut microbiome. That is considered a source of prebiotics, as well. All these different colors can help feed that good bacteria that helps your immune system be healthy."

Lycopene – found in red and orange produce like tomatoes and peppers – is known to help protect against prostate cancer. Cooked tomatoes are especially beneficial because heat increases lycopene concentration.

Rich suggests adding tomatoes into soups, stews and chili to boost cancer-fighting potential.

What kinds of cancer can a healthy diet protect against?

According to Rich, the right dietary patterns can help protect against a wide range of cancers:

• Breast
• Ovarian
• Gynecologic
• Prostate
• Colorectal
• Gastric

Fiber, Omega-3s and polyphenols are particularly powerful against colorectal and gastric cancers.

Additionally, managing weight through a balanced diet can reduce estrogen production in adipose tissue — a factor that increases breast cancer risk.

Fiber, protein, fruits and vegetables help reduce that risk and help us live a healthier life.

Surprising ways to get more protein

Protein also plays a crucial role in prevention and is especially important for those undergoing treatment.

Rich offers several easy, creative ways to boost protein intake:

• Scrambled eggs: Whisk in cottage cheese to make them “extra fluffy and packed with more protein.”
• Greek yogurt: Blend into red tomato sauce or pasta dishes or use it to make spinach artichoke dip.
• Oatmeal: Add kefir to boost protein and probiotics, helping reduce blood sugar spikes and inflammation.

Foods and drinks to limit or avoid

To best support your health, Rich recommends minimizing:

• Ultra-processed foods
• Artificial additives
• Alcohol
• Excess red meats
• Color dyes
• Processed meats

These items contribute to inflammation and can increase the risk of several types of cancer.

To learn more about how cooking and nutrition work together to improve your health, visit the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute Teaching Kitchen's website. 

Since 1988, Dr. McGee has been known for his steadfast commitment to excellence in clinical care and early detection of cancer throughout central Illinois.

"I welcome my role as president of the OSF Healthcare Cancer Institute as it further facilitates all those involved in our mission to improve health for those living in rural America, and, by our example, others around the world.  The development of the Institute has been driven by the values of the OSF Ministry that provide us with renewed hope and courage to meet every challenge,” says Dr. James McGee, president of OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute. “The spirit of the OSF Ministry helps us in our weakness and causes us to work together for the good. Our people have been chosen by God for this work; they prove it every day.   My role is to support them as caregivers to those we serve."

In this elevated role, Dr. McGee is responsible for driving the core vision of the OSF Cancer Institute: establishing a world-leading cancer program to improve the health of patients and the communities served throughout the OSF Ministry.

“Dr. McGee brings exceptional clinical expertise, visionary leadership, and a deep commitment to prevention and advancing cancer care,” said Kimberly Russo, CEO, Central Region, OSF HealthCare. “His dedication to innovation, research, and compassionate care aligns perfectly with our vision of treating the whole person and delivering world-class, patient-centered care that shapes the future of cancer.”

Under Dr. McGee’s direction, the OSF Cancer Institute significantly exceeded operational and research expectations. His leadership has been instrumental in the expansion of OSF’s advanced high-dose-rate brachytherapy program; implementation of proton therapy; and the successful recruitment of top medical oncology, radiation oncology and research talent.

Some of Dr. McGee’s recent accomplishments include collaborating with the University of Illinois Cancer Center at Urbana, the University of Illinois College of Medicine and Origin Commercial Ventures, which led to the development of the Breakthrough Treatment Center at the OSF Cancer Institute and the BEAT Cancer Research Initiative. 

These efforts bring early phase cancer control and treatment to patients with an emphasis on engineering to advance cancer care. 

Dr. McGee earned his Bachelor of Science from Quincy College and his medical degree from the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University in Chicago. He went on to earn a Master of Health Care Management from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

A beloved actress from one of America’s most popular TV shows has shared the story of her breast cancer journey with the world. 

Jenna Fischer, widely known as Pam from “The Office,” announced on social media she was diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Positive breast cancer in December 2023.

The 50-year-old’s cancer journey unknowingly began after her routine mammogram in October 2023. She tells The Today Show’s Hoda Kotb that her doctor called with the results, saying they were fine, but that there were a few spots that were difficult to see. The doctor added that Fischer has very dense breast tissue.

Fischer went in for a follow-up breast ultrasound and received the news on her patient portal while on a hike by herself.

“I checked the portal on the hike, and that’s when I saw words like ‘invasive,’ ‘ductal,’ ‘carcinoma,’ ‘malignant,’” Fisher told Kotb. “And I was like, ‘Those words sound like cancer words.’”

Nearly one year later, Fischer announced that she completed surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and is now cancer free. She hopes by sharing her story, she can provide comfort and hope to other women receiving similar diagnoses.

Jamin Addae, MD, is a breast surgeon with OSF HealthCare. He says having dense breast tissue does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer, but it does indicate that you have a higher chance of developing the disease.

Different types of breast tissue

"Dense breast tissue is absolutely normal. Like everything else in life, there are variations of things. You don't have one thing being the same in everybody. Breasts are made of different tissues and some of them we call fatty tissues, which are plain fat. Then we have glandular tissue which is the tissue that forms all the glands that produce milk," Dr. Addae says. “Then you also have the fibrous tissue that supports the breast itself.”

Dr. Addae says seeing the combination of the three types of tissue helps determine how dense the breasts are. He recommends getting routine breast screenings once you reach the age of 40, which is recommended by the American Cancer Society.

That way if you end up having dense breast tissue, your physician may recommend additional imaging to better assess the breast if the needs should arise. Fischer’s story is a perfect example of this.

“Knowing that you have dense breast tissue makes you aware that you have a slightly increased risk than someone who doesn't have dense breast tissue," Dr. Addae says. “It also makes you aware that it's more challenging to read your mammograms, compared to somebody who just has fatty tissue or fatty breasts.”

Technology advances helping survival rates, quality of life

Dr. Addae says the number one technology helping breast surgeons do what they do are what are called localization devices.

“If it's a small, five-millimeter area of calcification, you should be able to get that area out without taking the whole breast off. But that's a big challenge and I think the localization devices have made it possible for us to have a little clip placed in that area. So, in the operating room, we're able to go exactly where the five-millimeter tumor is, only take out that area and conserve the rest of the breast,” Dr. Addae says. “There's also a lot of improvements we're having in treatments. We have better chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which we consider systemic therapy. Radiation is also improving. These have all translated into much better survival rates and quality of life for our patients, compared to 20 or 30 years ago.”

Dr. Addae adds that oncoplastic surgery, which includes combining plastic surgery techniques that improve cosmetic appearance in breast cancer surgery have also led to an improvement in aesthetic outcomes and quality of life of breast cancer survivors.

Ways to decrease the risk of breast cancer

-          Stop smoking

-          Decrease the amount of alcohol you drink

-          Maintain a healthy weight

-          Eat healthy

-          Be physically active

-          Breastfeed

-          Know your family history

-          Avoid hormone replacement therapy

Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer

-          Female at birth

-          Older age

-          Immediate family member has or has had breast cancer

-          Genetic mutations

-          Hormone replacement therapy

-          Early onset of menstrual cycle (before 12 years old)

-          Late menopause (menopause after 55 years)

-          Dense breast tissue

-          Smoking

-          Alcohol

-          Post menopausal obesity

-          Physical inactivity

-          Never breast-fed

-          No full-term pregnancies

-          Radiation treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Video Interview Clips

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, says Heather Thompson. And she would know. Thompson is a breast health navigator at OSF HealthCare, helping patients navigate appointments, insurance and more. And Thompson is, herself, a breast cancer survivor.

But what many in the cancer space might not realize, Thompson says, is that breast cancer can affect men. It’s rare, with 1% of men statistically getting it, Thompson says. But it’s worth knowing how to spot, prevent and treat it.

“There can be severe cases. A lot of times, men don’t notice things or worry about things like women might,” Thompson says. “The cancer is there longer and has a chance to metastasize [spread] and get into their lymph nodes. A lot of times, men will get gynecomastia. That can cause swelling in the breast tissue and a mass.” Those gynecomastia masses can limit a man’s ability to feel a cancerous lump, delaying care.

Breast cancer basics

Genetics (i.e. a family history of cancer), alcohol use and smoking all put you at a higher risk for breast cancer.

So do men need to do monthly self-checks and get mammograms like women are told to? Not always, Thompson says. You should talk with your primary care provider about a plan, especially if you have a family history of breast cancer. That plan could involve genetic testing or blood work to check estrogen levels (since estrogen feeds cancer cells). But day to day, Thompson says to just keep an eye on your breasts. Look for inverted nipples, lumps, redness or achiness.

“Men really do not require regular screening or imaging for breast tissue. That is not in the American Cancer Society guidelines or any other guidelines,” Thompson says. “However, men should monitor their bodies for anything irregular. Then, get it addressed right away. Don’t wait. You might be in that 1%.” Thompson adds that if any type of cancer spreads, it can be fatal.

Treatment for male breast cancer typically involves a mastectomy, or the removal of breast tissue, Thompson says. This could be after cancer is found. Or it could be preventive if you’re at high risk, like the case of actress Angelina Jolie.

“There’s not much tissue that a man has,” Thompson points out, allaying fears that your chest will look significantly different. She says you won’t have a nipple, and your chest will be flat. But that’s about it. “We will still test those lymph nodes during surgery to make sure the cancer hasn’t spread.

“After that, there’s special testing called oncotype,” she adds. This looks at the likelihood of cancer returning. “If it’s a high score, those people sometimes have to have chemotherapy or radiation.”

Changing minds

Thompson knows men can be apprehensive about seeing a doctor in general. But when breast cancer enters the conversation? She’s heard things like “I’m not a woman. I don’t need to worry about that.”

At OSF Moeller Cancer Center in Alton, Illinois, where Thompson works, she sees one to two men per month come in for imaging. Most, she says, are cases of gynecomastia that can be managed by the person’s primary care provider. But some do hear the words “It’s cancer.”

“I tell them they’re not alone,” Thompson says. “Other men have gone through this. We have a roadmap to treat it.”

Learn more

Read more about cancer care, specifically breast cancer care, on the OSF HealthCare website. Cancer care at OSF includes the OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois.

Interview clips

Related stories

Read other breast cancer stories on the OSF Newsroom
Read breast cancer stories on the OSF blog

Jun Zhang, MD, PhD, has accepted the position of vice president, Oncology Research for OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute.

Dr. Zhang will oversee all oncology clinical research and supporting infrastructure at the OSF Cancer Institute, ensuring adherence to standard operating procedures, good clinical practice, financial stewardship and regulatory compliance. Additionally, Dr. Zhang will continue the development of the OSF Breakthrough Treatment Center (clinical trial program).

A nationally recognized leader in the research and treatment of lung cancer, Dr. Zhang has extensive expertise in bench-to-bedside translation and the development of investigator-initiated clinical trials. He has authored over 100 publications, including articles in journals such as Clinical Cancer Research, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, JAMA Oncology, and New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Zhang is a member of many prestigious organizations, including American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, European Society for Medical Oncology, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer and Sigma Xi.

Most recently, Dr. Zhang served as director of Medical Oncology Clinical Research services at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He was also associate director of the early phase program medical oncology program and co-director of the lung cancer program. Dr. Zhang achieved the rank of professor on the Clinical Scholar Track at Kansas University School of Medicine, reflecting his experience and academic excellence in both clinical medical oncology and biological laboratory research.

Dr. Zhang earned his doctorate in Clinical Medicine from Hunan Medical University and his PhD in Cellular Biology and Anatomy from Louisiana State University Health Science Center. He then completed his PhD post-doctoral fellowships at Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University and University of California San Francisco. Additionally, Dr. Zhang completed his clinical medical oncology fellowship at Emory University.

Around half of what Americans eat is considered ultra-processed food – think pre-packaged and fast-foods. These products are often filled with unhealthy ingredients, leading to an array of health problems.

“These foods are giving you an excessive amount of sodium, fat and sugar, and not enough nutrition," says Jeanna Rich, an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services. Rich says the longer the ingredient list, especially words you’ve never heard of before, the more processed the foods are.

"If it has a ton of ingredients that include additives, coloring agents or words you just don't know are true foods, it's definitely ultra-processed," Rich says.

Health risks of ultra-processed foods

While the saying “too much of a good thing is a bad thing,” may be true, too much of a bad thing is far worse.

"A lot of ultra-processed foods will have a large amount of saturated fat, also known as the 'bad fat.' That fat is linked to higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and other health issues," Rich says. "The additives, food dyes, sugar and fat combined can put us at an increased risk for developing cancer and other diseases as well." 

The link between diabetes and ultra-processed foods: a surplus of added sugars.

"What we're seeing right now, is children developing Type 2 diabetes earlier and earlier,” Rich says. “Extra added sugar is not good for blood sugar management or your immune function." Rich adds that diets high in ultra-processed foods have also been linked to obesity.

Eating foods high in sodium can lead to blood pressure issues and heart disease. There's no nutritional benefit to ultra-processed foods, Rich says, particularly when it comes to getting more fiber in our diet, which helps lower blood pressure, helps us lose weight and lessens inflammation. 

Preserving, drying, heating and curing foods is where they can become detrimental to our health. This is when preservatives get added into the foods that have no health benefits and may even have health harms in them. Many items at fast food restaurants are known to be ultra-processed because they can last a long time in their packaging. 

Hyperpalatable foods

Many foods are meant to seem appealing, and even rewarding, to eat. These are called hyperpalatable foods, and they have addictive qualities to them. Meat, ice cream, snacks and sodas headline this list. But some frozen meals and even vegetables cooked with things like cheese sauce can be added to the list as well.

"A lot of the products in these foods can act as an addictive behavior. They can release brain chemicals that make us feel good, then bring us back down," Rich says. "A lot of these foods can cause people to want to keep eating them, and it worsens their health overall." 

Don’t judge a food box by its cover

Rich says the front of product boxes can be misleading. Words like "natural," "organic," or "healthy" get thrown around a lot. She recommends you really take a good look at the ingredients list and nutrition label. 

If a product begins with the ingredient corn syrup, followed by long words you’ve never heard of before, these are unnatural ingredients you should stay away from. They also include seed oils and synthetic dyes. 

Healthier options will have ingredients like pureed fruits, vitamins and minerals. The color will also come from natural ingredients like carrots, cabbage and/or vegetable juices, not synthetic dyes which originate from petroleum.

Processed vs. Ultra-processed

Any food taken from its original form is considered processed food.

"If you're not picking an apple from a tree, or drinking milk straight from a cow, we are technically processing our food,” Rich says.

The jury’s still out on the exact definition of an ultra-processed food. Ultra-processed foods will typically have thickeners in them, like modified starches, sugar substitutes, synthetic food dyes, artificial flavors – mostly anything that you wouldn’t ever find in your kitchen.

Peanut butter

Many peanut butters are ultra-processed and have trans-fat in them. Key words to look out for: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. The label may say zero grams trans-fat, but if the ingredient says hydrogenated on it, it will still contain small traces of trans-fat in the product, Rich says.

Healthier peanut butter options will have different nuts and seeds as the main ingredients, making it a more wholesome food. 

Sugary cereals

Sugary cereals can often be ultra-processed foods. Kellogg's Mini Wheats has brown rice syrup, corn syrup, and "other natural flavors and coloring" in it. "These are things we want to avoid, especially when we have healthier alternatives," Rich adds. 

So, what do we do?

You may be surrounded by fast food restaurants on your drive home, and the grocery store aisles are filled with ultra-processed foods, but healthier options are out there. Creating recipes with lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits and whole grains is a great start. The OSF HealthCare website has plenty of recipes for every meal, snack or dessert time you’re looking for.

Video Interview Clips

Ultra-processed food b-roll 

(Some shots show healthier options side-by-side with ultra-processed foods)

Amaneigh (pronounced uh-MAHN-ee) Stevenson of Bloomington, Illinois, is a sassy 7-year-old girl who until January had never undergone surgery or even had a broken bone. But that month she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma following a biopsy the previous month. Amaneigh is currently undergoing IV chemotherapy treatment at OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria. Her treatment is expected to last six months.

Having cancer has been a difficult challenge for the girl who embraces challenges, her mom, Karisma Morris-Bush, says. This was not a challenge her daughter was prepared for as Amaneigh has always been full of energy.

“Ever since she was a little girl, she’s been very active. She’s in gymnastics, she’s done cheerleading, she likes to play outside, run around, cartwheels, flips, you name it. Since she was a baby, she’s been climbing on everything.”

Before January, Amaneigh had never missed a gymnastics practice. But the middle child with three brothers was sidelined from that activity for her safety after having a central venous port implanted to deliver chemotherapy and other medications directly to the bloodstream. The port makes treatment safer and more comfortable for frequent infusions or blood draws.

Concerned about protecting the port, Morris-Bush worried about her daughter riding a bike or playing with friends. That’s when Nick Kemp, an exercise physiologist with OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois, told her about PortGuard, a device he was working on designing with OSF Innovation Studio engineers that prevents damage to a port during contact activities.

“She has lots of friends who are also very active, and there were incidents in which she was bumped into. I was concerned about maybe it [the port] might be dislodged or put her at some type of risk, and he [Nick Kemp] told me that he was creating this PortGuard. He gave me the entire plan. This is when it was in the beginning stages, and I told him I thought it sounds wonderful.”

Kemp says he outlined his ideas to the Innovation engineers and told them his solution needed to be durable and comfortable.

“It needed to be lightweight, kind of mobile, something that wouldn’t get in the way during sports – that they could wear it and not have any type of disadvantage during their sport, so I really wanted it to be as comfortable as possible.”

Bracing for impact

OSF Innovation Studio engineer Reid Jockisch says they needed to create a divot in the design so that upon impact, the molded plastic would not contact the port that it was designed to protect. Jockisch explains engineers used a meter device to measure the force against the PortGuard as they hurled various size balls at high impact.

“We used balls from different sports – basketballs, baseballs. We threw them at the port to see and try to measure what kind of impact the port would have. That’s where the force gauge was. So, we measured what those numbers would be as compared to what it would be with no device, and we were able to get them to almost zero.”

That means the force on the port would be nearly zero with a high impact hit. Jockisch says they also tested the port’s durability and after pummeling it full force with a baseball bat, two-by-four and even a hammer, it was nearly indestructible.

The challenge, says Jockisch, was finding a balance between weight and comfort.

“We had to find lighter materials to encase the device such that when it gets attached with the supports, it’s able to stay in place. So, what’s been most helpful; there is patient feedback and their experiences wearing the device and what kind of activities were causing the device to shift around so we could design the straps in a way that supports the weight of the device.”

Morris-Bush was part of the prototype testing and says the design works, as she turns to Amaneigh and explains it.

“There is a spot right here. It’s kind of a circular spot, Amaneigh chimes in and says, “It goes over my port,” while mom adds, “Right, and that actually hugs the port and, in that spot, – and I can even put my hand over it – there’s space.” Amaneigh adds, “It’s like my port has gone into a mold.”

Morris-Bush says the hand washable PortGuard can even be used while her daughter is swimming. With lightweight straps connecting the guard in two places, it can be adjusted depending on the child’s size and what they’re wearing. Most of the time, Amaneigh puts it on by herself. She’s a big fan of the Port Guard because it put her back in action. Amaneigh even showed off a few of her gymnastics moves while wearing it.

“It makes me feel protected. It makes me feel safe. I don’t wear it often, but I wear it when I’m doing stuff I’m not supposed to do right now in this situation.” She adds, “It helps me, and I get to play with all the other kids. I love it a lot.”

For Kemp, that’s what his invention is all about. He’s excited that his idea to help pediatric cancer patients is doing just that.

“That’s the best part. It’s seeing the reactions and seeing them able to do activities and sports that they may not have felt as comfortable doing. So that’s the ultimate goal – to get them comfortable and bring them back to the normalcy that they were used to before treatment.”

The protective device is currently in use by 10 pediatric cancer patients. Kemp and OSF will be looking to collaborate with other children’s hospitals across the country to collect patient feedback. Once OSF Innovation Studio has collected additional feedback and has a final product, the goal is to make PortGuard available for as many kids as possible and ultimately scale production for wider use.

Karisma Morris-Bush

Nick Kemp, Reid Jockisch and Amaneigh Stevenson

B-roll-PortGuard and Amaneigh Stevenson playing

While this seems straightforward, this isn’t a quantity vs. quality scenario. It’s a mix of both, personalized to everyone in different ways.

A late-phase trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds people who follow an exercise program after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence, a new cancer diagnosis or death by 28%. The findings were presented on June 1 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), focusing on those who had Stage 3 or high-risk Stage 2 colon cancer.

Nathaniel Leman is an exercise physiologist with OSF HealthCare. He works alongside patients with cancer, mapping out plans to keep them exercising, despite a cancer diagnosis.

Exercise is helpful to patients with cancer

During a cancer journey, exercise helps deliver medication through the body as it's intended, because a person's blood vessels are opening, allowing the drugs to get to the areas impacted by cancer better. 

"We know exercise is so beneficial for our bodies. Specifically for patients with cancer who deal with a lot of fatigue, tiredness and low energy," Leman says. "They also deal with a lot of joint and muscle pain, maybe even bone pain. Most of the time they have weakened immune systems as well. There's a lot of things through their treatment journey they'll deal with; weight loss is another one."

How exercise is beneficial for patients with cancer

"Exercising with cardio and strength training is really good for our hearts, lungs, muscles and joints. The benefits also include our mental health, and it helps keep our weight consistent," Leman adds. "It also helps to boost our immune system and keep us healthy for a long time."

Leman and his colleagues rely on recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) to put together plans for patients with cancer. That includes 150 minutes of moderate, cardiovascular or aerobic (using body’s main muscle groups in repeated motions) exercise per week. This can break down into 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week.

If 30 minutes at one time is too much for a person, feel free to break it down into two 15-minute exercise periods, sprinkled throughout your day. Even three 10-minute periods are beneficial.

The main goal is to just get people to start moving. 

How to start moving

"That includes anything from walking to an aerobic bike on a moderate setting," Leman says. "Walking in a pool and doing light jogs inside the pool is something where we can take that pressure of gravity off."

If people want to achieve vigorous exercise, Lehman recommends 75 minutes a week because of the added pressure that's put on muscles and bones. 

If strength training is more your speed, Lehman recommends two to three days a week. This can include light squats, shoulder press, bicep curls, triceps extensions and rows as a few examples. Make sure to have a day of rest in between. 

Avoid powerlifting during cancer

Power lifting (power clean, heavy squats, deadlift) or exerting too much energy during a cancer journey is something to avoid, Lehman recommends. 

"We don't want to do that type of workout where we're over stressing our body to a point we can't move the next day," Lehman says. "Those athletes train for years and years and years, and they put a lot of fatigue on their body that our patients with cancer just can't handle." 

Marathons, triathlons, Iron Mans and Spartan races should be avoided as well. These extremely tough exercise events would cause too much stress on the bodies of patients with cancer. 

Lehman says exercise is good at lowering the risk of cancer, but it doesn't outright prevent cancer. 

Lehman says there is a difference between an active lifestyle and exercising. A basic active lifestyle can include things like daily chores around the house, but he wants patients to take things a step further and add committed time to exercise specifically. However, if a person is working outside in the yard all day, that can be a great amount of physical activity which could supplement exercise on that specific day.

The European Society of Cardiology reports a sedentary lifestyle for two decades is linked to being two times at risk of premature death, compared to being physically active. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 8,000 steps a day and says that for every 1,000 added steps per day in people with a sedentary lifestyle, reduces the risk of heart disease and death by 15 percent.

OSF HealthCare exercise physiologists offer a free exercise consultation to get started. Contact your oncology care team here to learn more about exercise plans during cancer.

Video Interview Clips

Gynecologic carcinosarcomas are rare cancerous tumors, mainly impacting the uterus and ovaries, which take on characteristics of epithelial (develops from the cells that cover the ovaries or line the uterus) cancers, as well as sarcomas (develops in bones, cartilage, muscle, fat, blood vessels and more). It’s estimated roughly two out of every 100,000 women will develop these rare tumors each year.

OSF has been able to treat patients with this very rare cancer before, but now with additional oncology specialists at OSF Cancer Institute, the teams are able to better serve these patients and offer them clinical trials as well. 

Uniqueness of gynecologic carcinosarcoma:

"One of the things that is unique about it is that it could be coming from the uterus, it could be coming from the ovaries, and so we group those together as gynecologic carcinosarcoma as a treatment group," says Michelle Rowland, MD, a gynecologic oncologist with OSF HealthCare. 

Chemotherapy and surgery are normally the treatment options doctors use to treat gynecologic carcinosarcoma. Proton therapy at OSF Cancer Institute offers the medical team an additional option in specific situations.

"We do use radiation sometimes," Dr. Rowland says. "In terms of proton therapy, there could be options for that which would add something unique, depending on where the cancer is occurring at that time. We also have investigational studies and expertise in investigational pharmacy and managing trials. This offers some options for patients."

Dr. Rowland and her team in Peoria have opened one clinical trial for patients with gynecologic carcinosarcoma. Additionally, Dr. Rowland says she is working to launch a study with the University of Alabama-Birmingham, which is currently focused on carcinosarcoma. OSF Cancer Institute specialists have a weekly tumor board meeting to put a multi-disciplinary approach together to help each patient, providing individualized care for them.

"We're putting together a think tank with experts across the country in this field," Dr. Rowland says. "We know some of the latest and greatest in terms of what to try, and we're also working on getting clinical trials open specifically for patients with carcinosarcoma."

The goal of the clinical trial is to find a treatment plan that works better than the current options. By learning more about the molecular basis of these tumors, the clinical trials can hopefully lead to better outcomes. 

Concerning signs and symptoms: 

"Very similar to ovarian and endometrial cancers, we're often worried about patients who have vaginal bleeding when they shouldn't, like post-menopausal women with bleeding," Dr. Rowland says. "Abdominal bloating, nausea and vomiting; symptoms where your bowel or your bladder are changing. These are things we'd recommend you reach out to a physician for a workup. It's most likely going to be something else, but it could be something like this."

Dr. Rowland worked on a carcinosarcoma clinical trial during her fellowship, so she has a real passion for finding the best care plans for patients now. She hopes this care and expertise will attract people not only within the Peoria community but far beyond as well to come to Peoria for treatment.

Patients can contact the Breakthrough Treatment Center and find out what treatment options are available. If interested in participating in a clinical trial, people can call 1-844-OSF-4-HOPE (1-844-673-4467).

Video Interview Clips

The Peoria, Illinois-based hospital system has brought surgical oncologist Tamara Floyd, MD, to the care team at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Dr. Floyd performs cytoreductive and HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) surgeries in Peoria, while also seeing patients in Bloomington and Galesburg.

HIPEC procedures are mostly for patients who have tumors or cancer spread in the abdominal cavity. 

Cancerous tumors are removed through cytoreductive surgery where the surgeon initially attempts to remove as much of the cancer as possible. Surgery is then followed by HIPEC, which is when a heated chemotherapy – at just over 106 degrees Fahrenheit – is administered into the abdomen. The heated chemo is then circulated around the area inside the abdomen to treat any remaining microscopic tumor cells.

HIPEC can be beneficial for several types of cancer patients. The one it benefits the most is LAMN, or low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm. HIPEC is considered a standard of care for patients who have seen their cancer spread into the space in the abdomen that contains the abdominal organs.

These can be appendix, colorectal, and now more data indicates stomach cancer patients may benefit from HIPEC, Dr. Floyd says.

"Additionally with more data, pancreatic cancer is being looked at as well. Even patients with breast cancer. Another cancer that benefits from HIPEC is peritoneal mesothelioma." 

HIPEC can be a viable treatment option at any stage, Dr. Floyd says. But as some people are diagnosed with later stage disease, it can feel like no options are possible. HIPEC changes that.

"It's beneficial to have the option of doing HIPEC, or cytoreductive surgeries, for patients who have peritoneal spread of disease, which for most cancers means it is a stage 4 disease," Dr. Floyd says. "In a lot of instances, if you're talking about stage 4 disease, there aren't a lot of other options."

While HIPEC is a viable option for low-grade cancers, it's also a helpful option for later stage, more aggressive cancers. Patients with signet ring or goblet cell features, which are more aggressive subtypes, can also be treated with HIPEC. 

"Signet ring is one of the subtypes of appendiceal, colon or rectal that can be treated. There are even some subtypes of gastric or stomach cancer that are considered a signet ring or have signet ring features," Dr. Floyd says. "Cytoreductive and HIPEC can be considered for those patients."

Throughout a cancer journey, combining traditional chemotherapy that is administered through IV with HIPEC provides a "synergistic effect" Dr. Floyd says. HIPEC allows the chemotherapy to be administered directly to the cancer cells and kill them that way. 

Dr. Floyd has done one HIPEC at OSF Saint Francis so far and has another planned soon. It's anticipated that within the next year, Dr. Floyd and her team will start to do three to four HIPEC surgeries a month as OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute continues to grow as a destination center.

Patient recovery times can be one to two weeks in the hospital after HIPEC surgery, which is why having this option for Central Illinois patients is so important. It allows the patient and their families to stay close to home, instead of having to travel hours away. Dr. Floyd says the longer travel times can turn patients and their families away from pursuing care. 

Heated chemotherapy can also be used in thoracic cavities. This would then be called HITEC or HITOC, Heated IntraThoracic Chemotherapy. This is for patients who have disease spreading in the pulmonary area. 

Types of cancers that can be treated by HIPEC: 

-          LAMN (Low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm)

-          Appendiceal

-          Colon

-          Rectal

-          Gastric

-          Stomach

-          Pancreatic

-          Breast

-          Mesothelioma

-          Ovarian

For more information on cancer treatment options at OSF, visit the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute website.

Video Interview Clips

Introducing the Intuitive Ion Robot, a minimally invasive way to biopsy a patient’s lungs and get them answers more efficiently.

"Robotic bronchoscopy has really become the way of the future in terms of lung nodule diagnosis. It allows us to biopsy very small nodules (dense areas of tissue, or spots)," says Rachael Davis, MD, a pulmonologist with OSF HealthCare. "We can biopsy lung nodules that were not able to be biopsied previously because they were so small. It also allows us to biopsy nodules that are far out on the edge of the lungs that were unreachable before."

The goal of the Ion technology is primarily to diagnose lung cancer early. However, it also gives patients with non-cancerous lung nodules peace of mind. The Ion Robot can stage lung cancer as well. 

"We are hoping to diagnose lung cancer while it is very small, at a very early stage, and provide people the opportunity for either surgical or radiation cure of their cancer. That's our number one goal," Dr. Davis says. "But we do have quite a few patients who have lung nodules, and we don't know what they are. So, we're able to provide them with an answer that says, 'this is what your lung nodule is, and it's not cancer.’”

If a person has a history of smoking or one of their family members has received a lung cancer diagnosis, Dr. Davis says it’s important to get screened.

"Early-stage lung cancer often is asymptomatic. They have no cough, no shortness of breath or anything else. The most important thing we can do about lung cancer is to encourage people to get screened," Dr. Davis says. "Anyone who has a smoking history should talk with their primary care provider or lung doctor about whether they qualify for lung cancer screening. With that, we can find very small lung nodules and diagnose them early."

Screening remains the greatest tool to cure lung cancer. Some nodules used to be biopsied using a needle from outside the body. The robotic bronchoscopy allows the team to biopsy it from the inside in a much safer way, preventing possible complications. When a lung nodule is diagnosed at an earlier stage, it's much more likely to cure the patient. 

"A lung cancer screening is very simple. It's a low-dose CAT scan of the lungs. Most lung cancer screenings are covered by insurance. It's a two-minute procedure," Dr. Davis says. "You get scheduled for a CAT scan. You come in and there's no contrast or IV required. You come in, get your CAT scan, and it's read within 24 hours." 

The OSF Lung & Pulmonology team has doubled the number of patients they see each week since launching the technology one year ago at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. While the team currently does six biopsies a week, the plan is to perform three to four biopsies five days a week by mid-2025. 

Initially, most patients are cared for at the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute. The medical team will then refer patients for the Ion Robot biopsy, keeping the patient on one hospital campus. 

If cancerous nodules are found in the patient's lungs, they will be referred to the OSF multi-disciplinary team for further treatment. This includes a surgeon who decides if the lung nodule can be surgically removed and cured. There is also a medical oncologist who can advise if chemotherapy or immunotherapy is needed. Lastly, a radiation oncologist is part of the team. They can provide radiation treatment if necessary. 

Dr. Davis says as the OSF Cancer Institute impact grows across the OSF Ministry, the Ion Robot technology will spread to other markets. According to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, OSF HealthCare ranks in the 99.2 percentile in quality outcomes after lung cancer surgery for all lung surgery programs in the United States.

OSF Cancer Institute offers lung cancer screening events throughout the year. To learn more about lung cancer prevention, and how to get connected with OSF Lung & Pulmonology, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Video Interview Clips

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The OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute is about treating more than a person’s cancer.  In the year since it opened its doors in Peoria, Illinois, the premiere treatment center has developed a personalized approach to help people more easily and quickly get answers.

The comprehensive OSF Cancer Institute opened in February of 2024 as the main hub of an integrated cancer network across OSF HealthCare, with patients receiving care near home when possible. It has already far exceeded expectations, with 70,000 patient interactions. The rapid access approach is a way to get individuals started on their diagnostic and treatment journey as quickly as possible because when it comes to cancer, no one wants to waste time.

Sarah Ince, BSN, RN, director of Contact Center operations at OSF OnCall, the digital health arm of OSF HealthCare says oncology leaders who have witnessed challenges for individuals with cancer have provided valuable input in the collaborative process to design a seamless entry point. Together with select members from an OSF Innovation performance improvement team, health IT and others across the OSF Ministry, the team started with benchmarking with the best of the best cancer institutes across the country.

Ince says the new rapid access model provides a central point of contact for the patient.

“They're seeking care, they're confused, they're anxious, they've maybe just received a cancer diagnosis," Ince explains. “So being able to get our patients to us quickly and effectively. So being able to give them different means – a portal, a phone call, that one central phone number to get to us, to allow patients to get where they need.”

In some cases, patients are waiting for a referral from their primary care provider or an emergency department doctor, and they want to know where that stands. In other instances, patients received a diagnosis but don’t know the next steps.

Mandy Luczkowiak, (pronounced luh-KOH-ee-ack), MSN RN, manager of Contact Center operations at OSF OnCall, says patients can call (844) OSF-HOPE or (844) 673-4467 to be connected immediately with an access coordinator who can check on the status of that referral, and assist with questions regarding supportive services.

“And they feel like, oh my gosh, it started. The journey now has started. I have this person that I've spoken to, I've told them all the things I need to tell them, and they're going to take it from there.”

Luczkowiak says the goal is to get patients booked within 24 hours for a telephone appointment with a nurse who has an oncology background. During that appointment, the nurse will learn more about the patient’s story and medical history, then they gather all records that could be relevant to the patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan.

“So, if we have a patient who is in Florida X amount of months a year, they might have had imaging done there, they might have had treatment there. We’re gathering all that information, so the providers are really excited that the first time they see that patient – that first visit, everything is there.” 

To date, the access advocates and nurses from OSF OnCall have had nurse visits with patients and entered more than 445 referrals based on individuals’ diagnosis and needs. Referrals can be entered not only for a provider, but for services such as transportation, dietary, social work or genetic counseling.

The easy transition to cancer care and support is something Ince says is personal for her.

“For me, my dad has stage four kidney cancer that's metastasized, and a patient in the community, and this is just what I needed a few years ago. So, I really feel connected to this journey through my diagnostic imaging scheduling, that journey and now to the Cancer Institute, I feel blessed to be part of this role.”

The rapid access model will continue to expand, capturing referrals from providers outside of OSF HealthCare. Ince says there have also been preliminary discussions of how this model could be applied to other major medical care offered by OSF HealthCare.

Sarah Ince and Amanda Luczkowiak

B-roll for rapid intake at OSF Cancer Institute

A colonoscopy at age 15

But why? Those at an average risk of colorectal cancer are recommended to start getting colonoscopies once every ten years, starting at 45 years of age.

"My dad was diagnosed after just turning 26. Because it was colon cancer, they recommended I be seen ten years before. The doctors said when I turned 15 to get a colonoscopy," Jaxson says. He was just a baby when his father passed away.

Jaxson’s father, Michael, was an avid runner in great shape. Angie Brown, Michael’s wife and Jaxson’s mother, says Michael had no family history of colon cancer, and never drank or smoked. At the age of 26, Michael was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. He underwent six months of chemotherapy and was in remission for almost four years. In 2013, Michael was diagnosed with a rare form of stage 4 colon cancer called signet ring cell adenocarcinoma.

“If he can do it, I can do it!”

Angie says for years, she has helped prepare her sons to know the importance of cancer screening, and that they’d have to undergo a colonoscopy from a young age.

“He figured that if he could go out there and show people that a 15-year-old boy is willing to go through a colonoscopy, without having any symptoms, then anybody can do it,” Angie says. “We had a good amount of people who sent messages and said, ‘if he can do it, I can do it!’”

Jaxson says it helped to know from a young age that the day was coming. Afterwards, he said it “wasn’t that bad.”

"They have you roll over on your side, then they inject the stuff in, and it works like a charm. You're out and don't remember a thing. Best sleep you'll ever get," Jaxson laughs. 

Jaxson’s bravery can inspire others

Daniel Martin, MD, a gastroenterologist with OSF HealthCare, oversaw Jaxson’s treatment. He says Jaxson’s bravery to undergo something uncomfortable, yet potentially lifesaving, should be inspiration for everyone.

"Colon cancer, if caught early (even if not caught at a polyp stage), is a very treatable condition. Where in the early stages of disease, greater than 90% of those patients are going to be disease free at five years," Dr. Martin says. "One of the advantages of colorectal cancer screening is that we can prevent the disease. With colorectal cancer, in a colonoscopy, you can identify the precursor lesions called polyps and remove them during the exam."

Colon cancer is the third-most diagnosed form of cancer in both men and women.

“Lung is first for both, breast cancer is second for women, then colorectal cancer is third. For men, prostate is second, colorectal cancer is third. Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer mortality in this country,” Dr. Martin explains.

The prevalence of colon cancer, along with the rareness of Michael’s signet ring colon cancer, led Angie and Michael to launch the Michael P. Brown Colon Cancer Foundation which lives by the motto “Get Busy Living.”

“A lot of people think you’re guaranteed a long life, especially if they’ve had parents who lived into their 80s and 90s,” Angie says. “You just never know what’s going to happen. If you have a bucket list, start doing those things. Don’t wait until you’re retired.”

The Foundation hosts Michael’s 5K Run for Life each year, raising money for signet ring research

“We try to be an outlet for people to get information about signet ring colon cancer. My husband used to field most of those calls, but now I do. My boys are getting involved too,” Angie says. “If there’s a parent who has cancer, they’re willing to talk to kids about that.”

Signs and symptoms of colon cancer

"The most common concern would be bleeding in your stool. But that would also include abdominal pain that's new or different," Dr. Martin says. "Or changes in the frequency or caliber of your stools."

This was mainly the case with Michael, Angie says.

“Initially, my husband’s symptom was belly pain. He was put on a couple of different medications because it was thought to be a stomach ulcer,” Angie says. “It didn’t work. He started having constipation, diarrhea and vomiting. We went into the emergency department, and he got the diagnosis of colon cancer.”

Traditionally, colon cancer is seen in people in their 60s and 70s. However, more younger people are starting to be diagnosed with colon cancer, Dr. Martin says.

"Specific to colorectal cancer, there are various options available now for screening. We recommend procedural screening with colonoscopy whenever possible. But with the advent of stool studies that are readily available and have been covered by insurance, that has helped increase the pool of patients who are receiving appropriate screening," Dr. Martin says. These readily available options are so important, Dr. Martin says, because most colon cancer patients are getting diagnosed at a later stage in the disease.

In the past, things like smoking, obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices have been thought to cause colon cancer. Dr. Martin says in addition to that, more recent studies have shown processed foods to be a concern as well, adding that our gut's microbiome may show early indicators of cancer. A study done by Harvard Medical School investigators found that certain types of gut bacteria could lead to the development of precancerous colon polyps. 

Dr. Martin credits the OSF HealthCare cancer tumor boards and medical teams for creating a more organized process over the last five to 10 years that takes care of patients from diagnosis to treatment. 

Jaxson says now that it’s all said and done, the colonoscopy process was not as bad as most people think. This is on par with what most patients say, Dr. Martin adds. His word of caution? Many of his patients undergoing a colon cancer diagnosis wish they would have gotten colonoscopies earlier on.

To schedule a screening, speak with your primary care provider first and get a referral. You can find more information about colonoscopies on the OSF HealthCare website.

Jaxson Brown Video Interview Clips

Angie Brown Video Interview Clips

Dr. Daniel Martin Video Interview Clips

Innovative Technologies at the Forefront

Leading-edge cancer treatments like proton beam therapy, brachytherapy, genetic counseling and dietetics are all offered within the OSF Cancer Institute, providing patients with a one-stop-shop during their cancer journey.  

Proton therapy

Proton therapy was first offered on April 1, 2024.

"Proton therapy lets us offer radiation therapy to patients that maybe wouldn't have been able to tolerate side effects due to tumor location, or factors such as prior radiation treatment to the same area," says Tom Cox, the vice president of operations at OSF Cancer Institute. " This is possible because protons stop after passing through a tumor, eliminating the radiation effects on tissue often treated incidentally to photon (X-ray) therapy. The OSF Cancer Institute is on track to have treated 180 patients by April 1, 2025 – which far exceeded the original first-year target of 130 patients.

Brachytherapy

The brachytherapy suite offers a more patient-friendly way for mostly prostate and gynecological (cervical, endometrial) cancer patients to receive treatment. This option involves placement of applicators or needles directly into tumors so that very controlled, effective radiation can be delivered in discrete volumes. Since the radiation is delivered from within the tumor, there is a dramatic reduction of the dose to normal tissue, even those near the tumor itself. The dose is delivered with high-dose rate techniques so the therapy is delivered in just a few minutes time.

"Being able to bring the introduction of the applicators into the body, the treatment planning CT and the treatment all in one room, has created a much better experience. We're having some really good outcomes there, and we think we can expand what we're able to do there,” Cox says.

Intuitive Ion robot 

The OSF Cancer Institute’s pulmonology team offers state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and treatments, including minimally invasive, robotic surgeries and robotic assistive bronchoscopy. This includes the Intuitive Ion Robot, which allows care teams to get early answers and advance care for lung cancer patients.

"We're going to leverage the ability of an ion robot in the interventional pulmonary lab to really upend how we do the front end of lung cancer care," Cox says. "That robot is going to enable us to biopsy smaller lesions. It has fewer side effects than when you're getting a lung biopsy that's CT-guided. You can also do a staged EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound) exam, so you can diagnosis and stage at the same time."

Rachael Davis, MD, a pulmonologist at OSF Cancer Institute, and her team have been using the ion robot weekly. Dr. Davis and her team are training more providers, and by this summer they’re expecting to quadruple – or more – how often it’s used. 

HIPEC procedures

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgeries are now offered at the OSF Cancer Institute. Tamara Floyd, MD, a surgical oncologist with OSF performs the open surgery and removes tumors from the abdomen. In the HIPEC procedure, heated chemotherapy is circulated through the body for a period of time. The first case went extremely well, and Dr. Floyd is planning her second case for mid-March. 

In addition to treatment options, the OSF Cancer Institute is increasing cancer supportive services in the Peoria region as well.

• Cancer navigation - 13% increase (Specially trained OSF Mission Partners walking you through the process of cancer care) 
• Dietetics - 64% increase
• Palliative medicine - 213% increase (Helps control symptoms, augments treatment from physicians) 
• Genetic counseling - 20% increase

Nutrition journey during cancer

Part of the dietary benefits OSF Cancer Institute offers is in the CEFCU Teaching Kitchen. Oncology dietitians work with patients on recipes to cook and are there with them step-by-step during their cancer journeys. Cox says 50% of people who come in for cancer treatment have dietary risks, while 80% of those people suffer malnutrition during treatment. Having a trained, professional dietary team walking alongside you helps fight those negative complications.

OSF Cancer Institute Culture

Cox credits the Institute’s first-year success to the culture of those who work there. The goal, he says, is to offer cancer support services across the entire spectrum of life. 

"The Mission Partners that work in this building have completely bought in to the idea that we all are advocates for cancer patients. We're always asking patients what they need, to see if we can help them," Cox says. "If we hear there's an issue with travel, or they're having trouble keeping food down, or if their children are not coping very well (with a loved one's cancer diagnosis), we know there are resources in the building, and we try very hard to line up those resources. You can feel it when you walk through the building."

Support services after cancer treatment 

"We can get you with a nurse, an exercise specialist and a dietitian to get back to your best life after cancer. Maybe you like to run a lot and ran half marathons, and you think you'll never be able to do it again. We have rehab and exercise specialists here and nutritionists. Who says you can't do that again? We're going to work with you to see you can get to the life after cancer you want to get to,” Cox says.

Services and medical professionals continue to grow

Building off the first year of OSF Cancer Institute, the administrative team continues to hire world-class medical professionals to offer cancer care in Peoria. A breast surgeon was recently brought onto the team, and a colorectal surgeon will be starting soon.

Additionally, the fourth floor of the building will be built out soon. Cox says this will give much-needed space for the surgical oncology and medical research teams. Research-focused medical oncologists are currently being recruited as well.

Leaving OSF Cancer Institute healthier, and more aware

Patients who leave OSF Cancer Institute don't just leave the building as healthier people; their awareness continues and will benefit other people. Cox admits a cancer diagnosis is not an easy thing to go through, and that the support from the OSF care team doesn’t stop when you walk out the door.

Grateful for community support

Cox says he’s been humbled throughout the years of working in oncology by the incredible commitment of the community and region to the OSF Cancer Institute.

"It is overwhelming to me, the philanthropic spirit of our community and extended community," Cox says. "I take that as, they've made a big commitment to us, and we're making a big commitment back. We're going to bring things to central Illinois that have not been here before. We are going to support you and your family members throughout your life and keep you as healthy, relative to cancer, as we possibly can."

Looking to the future

Cox says the OSF Cancer Institute is looking to bring more pediatric cancer support services to the building, the work collaboratively alongside the adult services.

The team is creating both a lung lesion clinic and a lung multidisciplinary clinic, which aims to reduce the time from finding a cancerous lesion to treatment. The lesion clinic is expected to open in late spring.

The OSF Cancer Institute intake team has been created with oncology nurses who will answer patients’ questions on the very same day, to see if services are right for you.

Cox adds that OSF is planning to put together an early detection hotline as a resource for the community to know if or when they should be screened for cancer.

To learn more about the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute, visit its website to view the services offered and find contact information to get connected.

Video Interview Clips

When the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois was being developed, plans included an enhanced brachytherapy suite. Since welcoming its first patients in early 2024, the OSF Cancer Institute has provided nearly 100 fractions (treatments) to 29 patients and continues to look for ways to bring the best treatment options to patients.

“Brachytherapy is a radiation treatment that we can use to get radiation right up into a tumor without having to go through a lot of extra normal tissues,” explains Mackenzie McGee, MD, radiation oncologist with OSF HealthCare. “(With) external radiation we're going to radiate somebody from the outside in so we're going through a lot of different normal tissues. The advantage of brachytherapy is we can get an applicator right up into the tumor to deliver radiation right where it needs to be and help really spare a lot of the normal surrounding tissues.”

Currently, prostate and gynecologic cancers, such as endometrial and cervical cancer, are what are primarily treated with brachytherapy.

“For patients with cervical cancer, brachytherapy is the gold standard. It does have superior control and survival rates as compared to other techniques that have been tried. When you look at good brachytherapy - so that's image guided brachytherapy, exactly what we're doing here - the control rates of the cervix are extremely high, well over 90% in most cases,” says Dr. McGee.

“The brachytherapy device - the bravos - has a single Iridium 192 source and what we can do is program the source to come out through cables that we attach to our applicator so it's all a closed system to the patient and we will tell it where to go and where to stop at different points along the applicator. What we can do then is it delivers almost like a little cloud of radiation just around the area and the dose getting further out from that source is really very low.”

Before treatment can begin, patients requiring advanced brachytherapy, such as cervix and prostate cancer patients, are taken to the brachytherapy suite in the OSF Cancer Institute to put the applicator in place while they are under mild anesthesia, which helps ease getting it in place and on target correctly. Because of the new set-up, the time between putting the applicator in place and treatment has been reduced by hours and the overall span of the two-dose treatment shortened to less than 24 hours in many cases. Since patients have to stay in the hospital with limited mobility while the applicator is in place, the goal is to continue to work to shorten that time.

The OSF Cancer Institute is in an elite group of the top brachytherapy treatment centers in the United States, and the only one in central Illinois to offer complex brachytherapy treatments. It is the first-ever cancer treatment center to offer GE’s CT Scan technology on tracks, which increases the precision of the treatment.

“This CT is really unique because it can actually come in and move over the patient while they're still under anesthesia and we can see if our applicator is in the exact right position. If we need to adjust that applicator or the needles, we can do that while the patient is still under sedation and very comfortable,” Dr. McGee explains.

 “The CT on rails is really a huge win because… what it’ll let us do down the road is actually introduce more applications for brachytherapy. There are studies out there about…being able to give a single dose of brachytherapy to a lung tumor to obliterate it. You can do that potentially with sarcomas as well so there's going to be other tumor types that we right now aren't able to offer but with the CT on rails we can work with our interventional radiology colleagues to help bring novel treatments to our patients that really aren't available widely across the country. This is a really unique opportunity for us to expand the brachytherapy that we offer.”

In addition to the state-of-the-art technology, the OSF Cancer Institute offers a multidisciplinary approach to care which includes nurse navigators to guide patients through their treatments, supportive services like a dietitian and a financial navigator, and even a pelvic floor therapist who can help with any needs patients have down the road.

For Dr. McGee, it’s all about doing what’s best for her patients.

“Having the opportunity to think through what my patients go through when they're having these brachytherapy techniques. It's a scary time, there's a lot of unknowns, there is sometimes some discomfort with it. Being able to really push our team to offer the best possible patient experience that also offers them the same opportunity for cure and reduced toxicities is really exciting. I always want my patients to feel that we are doing everything we can to help them feel loved and cared for and one way we can do that is really respecting how much time they have to have some discomfort and so every opportunity we can take to improve that, I think this really allows us to do that.”

Learn more about all of the treatments and services offered at the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute.

Mackenzie McGee, MD - OSF HealthCare Radiation Oncologist interview clips

OSF Cancer Institute Brachytherapy suite Broll

Years in the making, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the use of FD&C Red No. 3 (Red Dye No. 3) in food and ingested drugs.

The FDA cited two studies of lab rats, where high levels of Red Dye No. 3 caused cancer, as a main reason to ban the use of the controversial synthetic food dye.

Candies, cereals and colored beverages are some of the most well-known products to have Red Dye No. 3 in them, giving them a vibrant, cherry hue. But Jeanna Rich, an oncology registered dietitian with OSF HealthCare Cancer Support Services, says some items might surprise you.

“Some unexpected items it can be found in are mashed potatoes. So, it doesn’t have to appear as red,” Rich says. “Other items are vegan meat products and other meats like sausage. When you see that pretty pink color, that’s not the natural color that is from the meat itself.”

Yellow rice and sugar-free water fruit flavorings, as well as popsicles can contain food colorings in them, mostly Red Dye #40.

“One thing we can do, is when we’re going down the grocery store aisle, flip the package over and read what’s inside of it,” Rich says. “The front can be super misleading. You have to be your own detective for your health.”

Rich says these red dyes aren’t providing us with any nutrition, and instead it could harm our overall health.

“For any child, especially with their developing body and brain, having these in large quantities, we don’t know what that could be doing to their development. We know there is a correlation between hypersensitivity or ADHD in young children and larger quantities of this in their diet,” Rich says. “It is something we should absolutely take out of our food system because of the potential risk and harm it could cause.”

Red Dye No. 3 comes from petroleum, Rich says. Nearly 35 years ago, the FDA banned the dye, known as erythrosine, from cosmetics due to cancer risk. In 2022, a petition was filed by two dozen food safety advocates for the FDA to revoke the use of Red 3 in food and drinks.

Healthier alternatives some companies use for food items to bring red color are herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables (beets, pomegranates, cherries, turmeric, and paprika). Rich says the banning of Red 3 is a “huge win” for Americans’ diets, and she hopes more people become increasingly aware of the foods and drinks they’re consuming. That includes reading nutrition labels much closer.

“Food naturally can give off color. We don’t need to use synthetics to provide that optimal color we’re looking for,” Rich says. “ She recommends incorporating whole foods into your diet as much as possible.

Rich adds that at home, you can use pomegranate juice or beetroot extract when baking to give the food a pink hue.

Red 3 isn’t the only red dye making the headlines over the last few years.

In September 2024, California outlawed Red 40 and five other dyes from being served in meals, drinks and snacks at public schools statewide. The National Health Service (NHS) in England reports E129, which is the European name for Red 40, has been linked to hyperactivity in children.

Rich calls the cereal aisle a “dangerous place” for synthetic food dyes.

“Pop-Tarts, frostings and anything with a bright red or orange hue is not naturally found,” Rich says. She says they can sneak into condiments, like barbecue sauces, as well as Maraschino cherries found in fruit cocktails.

Manufacturers that use Red Dye No. 3 have until January 2027 or January 2028, to remove the dye depending on their product.

Video Interview Clips

Red dyes B-Roll

If you’re looking for more reasons to switch from cocktails to mocktails, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)’s newest study may encourage you to embrace sobriety.

The AACR published its 2024 Cancer Progress Report, showcasing that excessive alcohol use increases an individual’s risk of developing six types of cancer.

-          Certain types of head and neck cancer

-          Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

-          Breast cancer

-          Colorectal cancer

-          Liver cancer

-          Stomach cancers

The study goes on to say that in 2019, 5.4% of cancers were attributed to alcohol consumption. The AACR’s research suggests that by drinking less, or not at all, it can decrease your risk of getting the above-mentioned cancers by 8% and lessen the risk of all cancers by 4%.

Jeanna Rich is an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services. She says that part of the reason excessive alcohol can affect so many different parts of the body, is because alcohol touches tissue inside the body at most of these places.

"All alcohol contains ethanol, so one alcohol beverage is not safer than the other because they all contain that ethanol component. That can essentially damage or oxidize healthy cells and create DNA damage,” Rich says. “In regard to breast cancer, alcohol can actually increase the levels of estrogen in our body, it can lead to excessive calorie intake, which can lead to obesity." 

Rich says the increase in estrogen is what increases the risk of breast cancer.

Heavy drinking can lead to poor sleep, malnutrition

“Sleep is essential,” Rich says, noting that late nights drinking oftentimes leads to a poor night’s sleep.

“People who are choosing to drink a large amount of alcohol are not eating or drinking other nourishing items, so then they're deficient in other healthy nutrients," Rich adds. 

From cocktails to mocktails

"Why do people drink? Sometimes it's a social factor, sometimes it's for relaxation like going out to dinner with friends and having a glass of wine," Rich says, adding it’s becoming more common to have mocktails on menus at restaurants. “The sober lifestyle trend is becoming very popular. Especially with the New Year coming up, people like to stay sober for a month and see how your body feels, it does make a difference." 

Rich says other than being trendy and fun, if you make them right, mocktails can have beneficial nutrients.

The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) has year-round and holiday-themed mocktail recipes here. The NFCR reports that most Americans double their alcohol intake between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"Some can even include cancer-fighting nutrients like cranberries, teas and mints. So, taking that risk factor away, not only takes away the damage that's going to cause your body, but then it provides you with a cancer-fighting nutritional component that's going to enhance your overall health,” Rich says.

Avoid alcohol completely during cancer treatment

On a cancer journey, it’s important to discuss alcohol with your medical team. Rich says it’s imperative to completely avoid alcohol if you’re under treatment.

"Alcohol needs to be detoxed through our liver. Our liver will choose to focus on alcohol first, versus doing other jobs," Rich says. “We are essentially robbing our body of using our cancer treatment and using nutrition to help keep our bodies fighting that cancer. The overall message is to not drink alcohol during cancer treatment and have that conversation with your health care provider or dietitian, to make sure you understand why you're avoiding alcohol.”

To learn more about nutrition during a cancer journey, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Video Interview Clips

If you’re looking for more reasons to switch from cocktails to mocktails, the American Association for Cancer Research’s newest study may encourage you to embrace sobriety.

The AACR published its 2024 Cancer Progress Report, showcasing that excessive alcohol use increases an individual’s risk of developing six types of cancer. Certain types of head and neck cancers, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, breast, colorectal, liver, and stomach cancers were all listed.

The study goes on to say that in 2019, nearly five-and-a-half percent of cancers were attributed to alcohol consumption. The AACR’s research suggests that drinking less—or not at all—can decrease your risk of getting the mentioned cancers by eight percent and lessen the risk of all cancers by four percent.

Jeanna Rich is an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services. She says part of the reason excessive alcohol can affect so many parts of the body is because alcohol touches tissue inside the body at most of these places.

"All alcohol contains ethanol, so one alcoholic beverage is not safer than the other because they all contain that ethanol component. That can essentially damage or oxidize healthy cells and create DNA damage. In regard to breast cancer, alcohol can actually increase the levels of estrogen in our body. It can lead to excessive calorie intake, which can lead to obesity."

Rich adds that excessive drinking can lead to poor sleep and malnutrition as well.

Video Version With Chyrons

Video Version Without Chyrons

While many “health” trends have no substance at all, this has promise, according to Gabrielle Haskell, a clinical dietitian for oncology at the OSF Cancer Institute.

The recipe calls for one to two frozen bananas, one cup of coffee, 1/3 cup of milk and two pitted dates. Mix it together in a blender and you have a frappe to enjoy.

So… why bananas?

“Bananas have fiber in them, which helps keep you fuller for longer. Fiber is good for blood sugar management and for management of your cholesterol,” Haskell says. “They also have added vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin C, that can really help boost your immune system.”

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommends a plant-based diet for cancer prevention. Haskell describes how fruits, like bananas, all play a role.

“By adding more plants to your food, you’re reducing your risk of cancer, and adding in phytochemicals and antioxidants,” Haskell says.

Phytochemicals are part of the plant’s immune system and offer the plant, and the person eating it, protection from viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Antioxidants are things like Vitamin E and C that help fight off harmful free radicals, which have been linked to diabetes and cancer.

The frozen banana doesn’t just add nutritional benefits to the drink, it also provides a creamy texture that is easier to enjoy. See it as an alternative to coffee creamer. It also adds sweetness, so you can say goodbye to those packets of sugar, too.

“Traditional coffee creamers have a lot of added sugars and oils in them,” Haskell says. “The bananas., milk and dates are really replacing the coffee creamer to add sweetness and creaminess to it.”

Minimizing caffeine intake during cancer treatment

The jury is still out on how coffee impacts cancer risk. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that some studies have shown coffee lowering the risk of liver and endometrial cancers, as well as mouth, throat, voice box and basal skin cell cancer in both men and women. However, other studies suggest drinking hot beverages like coffee may increase your risk of esophageal cancer, causing ACS to recommend not drinking any beverage at very high temperatures.

Dr. Fredericka Brown and Dr. Kenneth Diller, mechanical engineering professors at the University of Texas at Tyler, researched what the optimal hot beverage temperature is. Their findings showed that hot drinks should be served between 125°F and 136°F.

During cancer treatment, Haskell says caffeinated beverages are not recommended at all.

“Caffeine can increase your risk for dehydration,” Haskell says. “And specifically with caffeinated coffee, if patients drink that when they’re doing certain treatments, symptoms like nausea and acid reflux might be heightened. It’s best to try and reduce your consumption of caffeine as much as possible. If you want, you can swap out regular caffeinated coffee in this recipe for a decaf instead.”

This recipe is another way to make use of those VERY ripe bananas you have laying out on the kitchen counter, hanging on for dear life. There’s no judgment here. Just throw them in the freezer and give them a new, healthier purpose than just attracting fruit flies.

Video Interview Clips

B-Roll

OSF HealthCare is excited to share the news that Polly Barton has generously made a $2 million gift to the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute, specifically focused on proton beam therapy. The area containing the proton beam will now be known as the Glen and Polly Barton Beam.

Polly Barton is a lifelong resident of Peoria and her late husband Glen spent 43 years at Caterpillar, Inc., retiring as CEO in 2004. He died in 2016 from cancer. The Barton’s commitment to the community and philanthropic endeavors is well-known, and this gift further solidifies that dedication. Polly served on the executive steering committee for the OSF Cancer Institute, which opened earlier this year.

“I had to be involved, Glen would have wanted me to help. The Mission of OSF Saint Francis is the constant, I’ve grown up in Peoria and I would not go anywhere else. The Cancer Institute is for the community, and I am so proud to have played a role in the campaign,” said Barton about her work on the steering committee.

An unveiling of the sign bearing the Barton’s name in the proton therapy area was held July 25.

“I am immensely grateful for Polly Barton's generous gift which significantly enhances our ability to provide cutting-edge proton therapy to our patients,” said Dr. James McGee, radiation oncologist and founding director of the OSF Cancer Institute. “The ‘Barton Beam’ will be a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of philanthropy in advancing cancer treatment and research. Polly Barton's support allows us to push the boundaries of medical innovation and improve the lives of those battling cancer.”

In addition to the Barton Beam announcement, Huan Giap, M.D., PhD., was introduced as the medical director of Proton Therapy for the OSF Cancer Institute. Dr. Giap brings extensive expertise in nuclear engineering, biophysics, and medical science, along with radiation oncology and proton therapy to his new position.

He obtained his PhD. in biophysics from the MD Anderson Cancer Center University of Texas Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Giap completed a medical residency in radiation oncology and proton therapy at Loma Linda University Medical Center, further enhancing his specialization with a Clinical Fellowship in Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), and Brachytherapy from Scripps Clinic. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Dr. Giap holds six copyrights and patents for innovative medical devices.

Proton therapy treatment at the OSF Cancer Institute began April 1. Since then, 47 patients have undergone treatment with the daily schedule routinely seeing 18 patients, a daily patient volume that was not anticipated until closer to the one-year mark of operation. A wide variety of cancers have been treated:  head and neck, prostate, esophagus, brain, lymphoma, and bone metastasis. The SDX respiratory gaiting system will be fully installed in early August, which will allow the proton therapy department to begin treating tumors that are subject to movement from breathing, such as breast, lung, and abdominal masses. 

Tim Scott, 70, is the first patient to receive the treatment at OSF. Scott traveled from Princeton, Illinois, after receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis. He says he searched for the best cancer care nearby as soon as he was given the news about his diagnosis on Valentine's Day 2024. The OSF Cancer Institute was recommended to him by his care team.

Scott knew he wanted to get treatment quickly, knowing his family history with prostate cancer.

“It had taken my father away and my great-uncle,” Scott says. “I felt fortunate that the proton therapy was in the immediate area.”

On Monday, April 1, Scott began the first of 28 treatments in his cancer journey. He says the appointment was quick, and he felt comfortable with the medical team.

“Your staff had me laughing, which I like,” Scott says. “We had a good time this morning. Everybody walked out and said ‘you’re the man! You’re the first guy!’ Everything went really well and it’s an amazing treatment.”

Scott will receive treatments Monday through Friday until he reaches 28 treatments.

“The treatment itself, by the time they took the different angles of the radiation, it was probably no more than 10 minutes in there. I was very pleased, and the staff made me feel comfortable. It went well today,” Scott says.

The OSF Cancer Institute is the only center outside of Chicago and St. Louis offering proton therapy in the region. James McGee, MD, founding director of the OSF Cancer Institute, says this treatment is less invasive than current treatments being offered.

“It's where a packet of energy with positively charged proton particles is used to go to one spot of the tumor and treat that spot of the tumor,” Dr. McGee says. “We're able to go anywhere in the tumor. Very little dose on the entry side, and no dose on the exit side. Using all of that, we can corral the radiation into the tumor and reduce the dose of radiation to the normal and healthy tissues that we don't want to get incidental radiation, like the lymph nodes and things where the immune response is being mounted to that cancer."

The therapy is powered by a Varian ProBeam® 360° System cyclotron. Dr. McGee says the ability to rotate the system 360 degrees allows the technology to target cancer from any angle.

 "We know the biological effect of protons is often felt to be at least 10% higher than with X-ray therapy. That gets factored into treatment planning. We also know the ability to give these treatments in a way that doesn't affect the immune system, allows the actual radiation treatment to be more effective,” Dr. McGee says. “We're seeing more and more evidence that there is better tumor control in certain situations. People are not failing that would've failed at those doses with X-ray therapy. Also, we're not generating secondary cancers from the radiation."

It is estimated the OSF Cancer Institute will treat upwards of 3,700 cancer patients annually with an estimated economic impact on the Peoria-area of $1-billion over the next decade.

Proton therapy is used most frequently for head and neck, prostate, spine, breast, sarcoma, brain, and esophagus cancers. It can also be a re-treatment after prior radiation.

To learn more about cancer services at the OSF Cancer Institute, please call 1-844-OSF-4-HOPE or 1-844-673-4467. 

Other key features for patients include:

- Brachytherapy: Also known as implant radiation, brachytherapy is a treatment that is delivered from inside the tumor and can deliver more intense doses of radiation at the tumor site. It is most commonly used to treat cancers of the female pelvis, prostate, breast, eye and skin. Currently, patients are transported all over the hospital in order to receive these procedures. When the HDR Brachytherapy suite in the OSF Cancer Institute opens, everything will happen here. This state-of-the-art surgical suite is outfitted with a GE CT on rails, specially designed for the space. This will make for a much better patient experience. 

- Teaching Kitchen: The CEFCU Teaching Kitchen will offer a healthy lifestyle educational environment by focusing on prevention and wellness efforts to lower the risk for cancer and cancer recurrence. Patients and families affected by cancer will benefit from classes where they learn how to prepare foods that address specialized needs while going through cancer treatment. Prevention of other diseases and chronic health conditions are also addressed, with advanced IT technology, remote access can be offered for live-streaming classes.  

- Healing Garden: Located on the east side of the campus, this area has a number of features including statues of the Welcoming Virgin Mary, St. Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer, and St. Francis of Assisi. There is a water feature along the path, and the space will host the Gilmore Foundation Teaching Garden. The fresh food grown here will be used in the teaching kitchen, which is right next to the healing garden.

- Cancer Support Services: The main focus is assisting patients and their families from diagnosis through survivorship, as well as prevention for those at a higher risk of developing cancer. These services include nurse navigation, dietitians, financial navigation, counseling, cancer specific clinics and survivorship. 

Video Interview Clips

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Some people with skin cancer that’s on the surface of the skin can still require large doses of radiotherapy, but precise delivery can be challenging. Skin tissue is not a flat surface so it’s difficult to give a uniform and accurate amount of radiation.

Enter an innovation that can help provide a more localized, effective delivery of the treatment – a device called a radiation bolus.

“Normally when a beam hits the skin, it'll dissipate and that'll increase how the treatment affects that area. And so if it's right on the surface of skin, it can dissipate, and you can't get the correct dose in the way that you need. So a bolus is a piece of silicone that will move that surface of the skin kind of out so that the treatment area can get affected properly.”

That’s Reid Jockisch, an engineer with Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. He helps design, fabricate and rapidly 3D-print patient-specific boluses that can be used throughout a patient’s treatment. He says software combines patient CT scans with computer-generated radiation planning data to create models sent to Jump engineers for 3D printing.

The material conforms perfectly to the patient’s skin, Jockisch explains.

“It'll literally just stick to the skin because it's silicone and they're soft and stretchy. You can see it's pretty malleable and would be comfortable to wear and it would just like sit right on the eye socket, on the nose, really in the ear in and around the ear, very comfortably.”

The method of creating a bolus eliminates the need for patients to come into their oncologist’s office to get fitted for the device.

“The scans that are already a part of their treatment plan can be created or can create the models that we would need to create this so we can kind of do all of it in the background.”

Jockisch says oncologists report feeling more confident using a patient-specific device, rather than a commercially-made bolus which might not provide the proper thickness or fit.

“This bolus is better than some of the ways it's been done in the past or some of the ways it's still sometimes done when it's not this kind of hard-to-reach place.” Jockisch continues, “And what's used in those cases is really a flat piece of silicone, and that on a patient's nose or ear can create an air gap which changes the way that the radiation interacts with the bolus and that patient's cancer, which might lower the dose or increase the amount of treatments that are necessary for that patient.”

This engineering solution is one of the benefits of bringing engineers and clinicians together to provide better treatment. Jockisch says it’s the reason he became a bioengineer.

“Having an avenue to help a patient have a better experience, whether that be through some of these cancer treatments or some potential new solutions that we might be able to find with the building of the new Cancer Institute is absolutely one of the best parts of my job.”

Jump engineers could be busy with the opening of the new OSF Cancer Institute on the campus of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria in February. But Reid says handling a higher volume of requests should be ok because the process to 3D print a patient-specific bolus takes between two to eight hours and he believes as technology evolves, that time will continue to be even shorter.

Video clips with biomedical engineer Reid Jockisch

B-roll of radiation boluses

In the past decade, breakthrough treatments for cancer have emerged requiring a personalized approach.  The new OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute on the campus of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, will offer access to a variety of treatments under one roof when it welcomes its first patients next month.

A lesser discussed treatment that will be available is brachytherapy or implant radiation. Unlike external beam radiation, this treatment is delivered from inside the tumor and can deliver more intense doses of radiation at the tumor site. Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat cancers of the female pelvis, prostate, breast, eye and skin. 

James McGee, MD, radiation oncologist at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center has sub-specialized in brachytherapy. It is the most targeted radiation treatment type and preserves healthy tissue. 

“Placing a radiation source directly into the patient’s tumor allows for many advantages. In this way, the radiation is not going through normal tissues and has much less normal tissue effect.  At the same time, it creates the need to be very individualized and very creative.” 

The radiation is given with high dose delivery rates usually with a very small radiation source in a cable moving through an applicator or even a series of needles to the core of the malignancy. The devices are called temporary implants that are removed after the dose is delivered. Brachytherapy implants may be short-term (temporary) or long-lasting (permanent). The result is a higher cure rate for certain cancers than with external beam radiation alone says Dr. McGee.  

The OSF Cancer Institute will have a state-of-the-art brachytherapy surgical suite, fitted with a GE CT scanner on rails, specifically designed for the space. It will allow patients to stay under anesthesia during CT-guided applicator or implant insertion. A new MRI scanner is located directly outside the suite, creating efficient transfer for the patient, when MRI imaging will help, improving their overall experience. 

Better preparation through 3D models 

Dr. McGee sits in front of a 3D model made for a woman who had cervical cancer. It was developed using translucent silicone molding and graphite material to represent tumor growth. He explains that because of the need for precision application of the radioactive material, OSF HealthCare enlisted engineers at Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center to create patient-specific models for complex cancer cases. 

“We've actually been taking MRI scans from patients and in preparation for their treatment and we've created models that represent their normal anatomy and the anatomy of their cancer. Usually this is after initial treatment with chemotherapy radiation, probably for about five weeks.”

The use of brachytherapy reduces recovery time and side effects, and is often a shorter, more cost-effective treatment than traditional external beam radiation. There are many types of brachytherapy.  These can be categorized by the duration of the dose delivery - high dose rate, low dose rate, and permanent. They are also categorized by the technique used such as interstitial (in between cells of cancerous tissue), intracavity and surface application. 

 Dr. McGee looks forward to being able to enhance brachytherapy procedures by having the operating room, imaging, and treatment delivery system integrated in the same space at the OSF Cancer Institute. 

Video Clips with Dr. James McGee courtesy of WTVP-PBS

B-roll of Brachytherapy-Courtesy WTVP-PBS

A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Nurse navigators offer much-needed service and support to help prevent patients from becoming overwhelmed by uncertainty, appointments, diagnostics, treatment, their job, and financial concerns, as well as the psychological impact of a serious diagnosis. Cancer patient navigators provide education, advocacy and support while facilitating the process of cancer care.

But the job of a cancer patient navigator can be challenging. The complexities of health care, the gravity of a cancer diagnosis, and the growing number of cancer patients served by the health system can create enormous stresses on all involved, including the cancer patient navigators. This can lead to burnout which could threaten the ability to recruit and retain those performing this critical service for cancer patients. OSF HealthCare has 15 cancer patient navigators at its largest hospital, Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. Each navigator specializes in serving patients with specific types of cancer.

At any point in time, one navigator in a specialty might have much more work than others in the same specialty. However, OSF cancer patient navigators typically do not transfer care to another navigator when workloads are heavy, because they seek to maintain consistent patient relationships throughout the care journey. Within these constraints, a team led by OSF’s Senior Fellow for Innovation, Jonathan Handler, MD, sought to develop a solution to better balance workloads among cancer patient navigators within a cancer specialty.

The team included researchers from OSF Healthcare and its OSF Innovation group, the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The work was funded by a grant from Jump ARCHES, a strategic partnership between OSF HealthCare, the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The team developed a model to predict the upcoming week’s work for each navigator’s existing patients and for new patients needing navigation. A second model then distributes the new patients among navigators within a specialty to minimize differences among those navigators in their upcoming week’s workload. The model makes the predictions using data already contained in a patient’s electronic health records, such as demographics, cancer type, and prior health care utilization.  

As part of this research, predictor-informed distribution and random distribution were compared, assessing resulting workload differences among navigators in the same cancer specialty. The random comparison was used because OSF cancer patient navigators distribute patients nearly-randomly; except in unusual cases, patients are distributed to relevant specialized navigators on an alternating basis. Anticipated patient needs, navigator experience, and existing workload are generally not considered for this distribution. In this retrospective simulation study, the predictor-informed model achieved significantly greater workload fairness than random distribution. This research was published in JCOâ Clinical Cancer Informatics, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

“At OSF HealthCare, we use innovation to create greater effectiveness, efficiency and access for patients who want clinical excellence, convenience, support, and a positive patient experience,” Dr. Handler explains. “We also take innovative approaches to retain our greatest asset, our Mission Partners (employees), and to help ensure that OSF HealthCare remains an outstanding and gratifying place to work.”

To integrate the smart algorithm for improved cancer patient navigation, OSF Innovation plans to leverage OSF Community Connect, a platform that automates workflows to help OSF Healthcare orchestrate care and resources.

Tenille Oderwald, MSN, RN, a co-author of the paper and manager of Oncology Services at OSF Saint Francis, says the next step will be to pilot the tool. With the planned opening of the OSF Cancer Institute next year, Oderwald says being able to help navigators’ support and guide patients through appointments and treatment will be important as more people seek care through OSF at its world-class facility.

“Bringing proton therapy to central Illinois is going to be a game changer,” said Bob Anderson, central region CEO for OSF HealthCare, which includes the Peoria area. “It will allow us to provide a totally unique type of radiation therapy to patients in Peoria, where people used to have to travel to Chicago or St. Louis to receive that same care.”

OSF HealthCare is committed to making Peoria a premier destination for world-class cancer care. As a regional destination center with the latest technology, one of the hallmarks of the OSF Cancer Institute will be proton beam therapy, which will be just the second center in Illinois, and one of only 32 in North America.

“The work on the Cancer Institute began over four years ago and the centerpiece was always proton therapy. And to see that coming to fruition with the delivery of the unit is extremely exciting. Now, we know it will take a whole year to set up and get it ready to go, but the arrival is a huge milestone for this project” Anderson added.

After completing the trip, the four separate parts of the particle accelerator were carefully lowered into a vault below ground that features a concrete base with pylons drilled 60 feet into the ground supporting concrete walls six to 12 feet-thick, with a total of 3,500+ cubic yards of concrete surrounding the cyclotron.

“OSF HealthCare has always been on the pioneering edge of taking care of cancer patients and doing the right thing,” said John Kowal, President of Varian Oncology Systems for the Americas. “This is just the next step, literally of bringing proton therapy to Peoria and the rest of Illinois, all parts that OSF HealthCare takes care of. This matches Varian’s vision of trying to create a world without fear of cancer. And the delivery of this technology is right on par with executing on that.” 

Another special component to the particle accelerators produced by Varian Medical is that each gets a name before it leaves the factory. OSF HealthCare named its Marie after Sister Francis Marie, who started the concept of a ministry-wide oncology program for OSF HealthCare, and also for Marie Curie, a pioneer in the field of radioactivity and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

In addition to proton beam and brachytherapy, the OSF Cancer Institute will feature an infusion center, patient education and support spaces, and a full range of cancer-related services.

The first treatments at the OSF Cancer Institute are expected to take place by early 2024.

Bob Anderson interview clips

John Kowal interview clips

Truck arrival, cyclotron placement, drone footage Broll