What Sets Us Apart

What Sets the Head & Neck Tumor Program at Swedish Apart?

Our program provides a full continuum of care through the involvement and organization of a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals. On a day-to-day basis, patient care is coordinated by Medical Director Andrew Nemechek, M.D., F.A.C.S., a fellowship-trained head and neck surgical oncologist.

Care will involved multiple specialists, including radiation and medical oncologists, plastic surgeons, oncologic dentists, nursing professionals specializing in cancer care, pain control consultants, speech/language therapists and nutritionists. This team also participates in a regular case conference to review each patient's proposed treatment plan.

Ongoing Care and Support

Our specialists are available for consultation at every point of care, from diagnosis to conclusion of definitive therapy. Additionally, our Oncology Patient Care Coordinator helps patients prepare and plan for treatment by ordinating services, managing physician appointments and referrals, and providing education and resources.

We are also available to initiate or continue supportive care for patients and families who are facing difficult challenges. Our team is dedicated to individual patient success, which may involve curative therapy, palliative care, and in some instances, end-of-life care.

Advanced Technology

Swedish Medical Center is continually adding new technologies and programs to its comprehensive cancer care services. Our hospital was the first in Colorado to acquire a 16-slice, coregistered Positron Emission Tomography/ Computerized Tomography (PET/CT) scanning suite. This highly advanced tool offers significant advantages over other forms of imaging technology by providing more comprehensive, sensative and detailed images for analysis, while remaining non-invasive. It provides the greatest degree of diagnostic accuracy available today and is superior in its ability to determine the extent of cancer to see if treatment has been effective.

Research Opportunities

When appropriate, patients may choose to participate in research or clinical studies through the Colorado Cancer Research Program, a nonprofit community-based cancer program established to provide community hospitals and physicians access to a wide range of cancer research trials. These trials often provide patients with more options for the treatment, control and prevention of cancer. Our program representatives will work with patients to enroll them in appropriate trials.