Advocate Cancer Institute at Advocate Lutheran General

The experts at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital specialize in the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of a full range of cancers, from the common to the complex:

Additionally, our practitioners serve as consultants on gynecologic cancers and diseases of the breast for other gynecologists, family practice and internal medicine physicians.

Our team of experts uses the latest detection technology to diagnose cancer and monitor the effectiveness of your treatment. More precise information leads to a more targeted treatment plan and, ultimately, better outcomes. Tools include:

64-slice CT scanner: The Philips Brilliance® 64-channel configuration breaks through previous boundaries in CT imaging, providing large volume, thin-slice coverage to improve diagnostic confidence, image quality and productivity. This complex scanner provides high resolution images or views of any area of the body.

Time of Flight PET/CT Scan: These images play a key role in radiation therapy planning by precisely mapping out tumor boundaries and avoiding radiation to the adjacent normal tissue. They can be used to diagnose and manage many types of cancer, including: lung, colon, esophageal, head and neck, melanomas and brain tumors. This scanner is also used to monitor former cancer patients.

1.5 Tesla MRI: Provides advanced applications in all areas of clinical imaging. The system is equipped to provide reduced scan times and increased image resolution, enabling a new dimension in intelligent MR and maximizing imaging speed, quality, breadth of applications and future versatility.

3-D Ultrasound: GE LOGIQ® 9, a premium ultrasound system, enables us to comfortably acquire and construct volumetric images in real time, then interrogate the images in any plane to explore the smallest details with stunning clarity. Advanced equipment that provides extremely clear three-dimensional pictures of the inside of any area the body.

Digital Radiography : X-ray equipment that captures images like a digital camera. Digital radiography uses less radiation, is extremely fast and provides clearer images for improved accuracy. It also has the capability of adjusting image contrast for better views without subjecting a patient to more radiation.

Nuclear Medicine Camera: A high resolution camera that provides three-dimensional images of the body and internal organs.

Hours: Mon. through Fri. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (screening only)
Phone: 847-723-LUNG (5864) (appointments required)
Location: Center for Advanced Care, first floor

The Lung Cancer Screening Program at Advocate Lutheran General offers eligible patients the screening expertise and technology necessary to detect lung cancer at its earliest stages – when it’s most treatable. The ground-breaking low-dose CT scan available at Advocate Lutheran General can detect lung cancer early enough to allow for more treatment options, improve survival rates and has been proven to reduce the risk of death by up to 20%.

To schedule a screening or find out if a lung cancer screening makes sense for you, call 847-723-LUNG(5864) to speak with a lung health navigator or visit our scheduling page. To better understand your risk, take our quick lung health assessment.

Hours: Mon. through Thurs., 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sat., 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (screening only)
Phone: 847-723-3100 (appointments required)
Location: Center for Advanced Care, third floor

The Caldwell Breast Center pairs expert surgeons and clinicians with the latest technologies and techniques to provide the most complete breast cancer care available.

Awards & Recognition

• Consistently ranked as one of America's Best Breast Centers: WomenCertified Inc., the voice of female patients
• National Accreditation Program of Breast Centers (NAPBC), recognized since 2010
• Breast Imaging Center of Excellence (BICOE), recognized since 2007
• Patient satisfaction scores in the top decile for more than a decade
• Accredited by the Commission on Cancer, which measures our quality of care against national standards
• First in the Midwest to offer 3D mammography
• First in the Illinois to offer contrast-enhanced mammography

Mammograms with same-day results

Our comprehensive and compassionate team offers convenient mammograms with same-day results (via email), as well as other advanced technoogy for early detection and treatment. We coordinate breast cancer care from diagnosis to survivorship, and participate in leading-edge clinical research trials.

Imaging services are provided by licensed, skilled technologists trained in breast imaging, and the results are interpreted by board-certified radiologists. Screening mammogram results are available via email on the same day as your mammogram. If an abnormality is found you will meet with a breast surgeon and nurse right away. These appointments can be coordinated to occur on the same day as your imaging.

To schedule a mammogram, call 800-3-ADVOCATE or make an appointment online.

Early detection is critical

Annual mammograms are recommended beginning at age 40, or earlier depending on family history. The right screening tool for you depends on your specific situation. Your doctor may perform one or more of these tests:

• Screening mammogram: Uses X-rays to detect cancer in women with no current symptoms
• Diagnostic mammogram: A more in-depth X-ray scan, ordered if breast abnormalities are present
• 3D mammography (tomosynthesis): Allows for detailed digital imaging of the entire breast

Other advanced tools

• Screening or diagnostic ultrasound: Done following a mammogram to examine suspicious masses or see through dense breast tissue
• Biopsy: Targeted removal of cells for diagnosis and treatment planning
• MRI: Supplemental imaging, usually ordered for patients at heightened cancer risk

Hours: Mon. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tues and Thurs., 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wed., 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fri., 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 847-723-5690
Location: 1999 Dempster St., Park Ridge, IL 60068

The struggle to overcome a cancer diagnosis doesn’t stop at the end of a hospital stay. Our Cancer Survivorship Center is the first stand-alone, hospital-affiliated survivorship center in Illinois. It provides free, comprehensive, holistic support for patients, family members and caregivers throughout their care.

Learn more about the Cancer Survivorship Center.

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (hours may vary)
Phone: 847-723-8780 (appointments required)
Location: Center for Advanced Care, second floor

The Apheresis Center, the only facility of its kind in the northwest suburbs, offers individuals a fast, convenient way to donate blood or platelets for cancer or transplant patients. The apheresis process separates blood into different components that are used to support many lifesaving medical treatments. All donations made at the Apheresis Center remain at Advocate Lutheran General.

Family members can come to the center to give direct-to-donor blood for patients who are undergoing cancer treatments at Advocate Lutheran General. In addition, the public is welcome to make blood or platelet donations at the center.

The Apheresis Center also handles stem cell collections for hospital patients, provides apheresis support for research study initiatives and is a collection site for the National Marrow Donor Program.

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Phone: 847-268-8200
Location: Center for Advanced Care, second floor

Oncology Specialists, S.C., is a private practice of oncologists who have offices on the second floor of the Cancer Institute and are part of the hematology/oncology division at Advocate Lutheran General.

These experts provide highly specialized care for a variety of cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, colon, head and neck and gynecological, along with unusual and difficult diseases such as melanoma, sarcoma and lymphoma.

The dedicated team also includes professionals in nursing, pharmacy and laboratory services. Each patient who requires chemotherapy is paired with a primary nurse, who provides ongoing education and takes personal responsibility for administering treatment, assessing symptoms and side effects, answering any questions and consulting closely with the patient’s physician.

Through its research initiatives, Oncology Specialists conducts and participates in cutting-edge clinical trials for cancer and blood diseases, including past studies that have led to FDA approval of new cancer drugs.

The practice has also received an Innovator Award from the Association of Community Cancer Centers, recognizing breakthroughs in the delivery of cancer care.