Fighting cancer with research, technology and advanced training
We’re here to help you live longer and have a better quality of life.
Ruth Trinidad tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation and partnered with Geisinger to manage her care.
MyCode genetic sequencing
We’ve been collecting and analyzing DNA samples through our MyCode® Community Health Initiative for over a decade. What does this mean? Our dedicated team of geneticists can detect the earliest signs of cancer and other conditions, so if a genetic link that increases your risk of developing cancer is detected, you can start treatment right away.
MyCode detects cancer risks including:
- Hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer
- Lynch syndrome (which can cause early colon cancer and uterine cancer)
- Retinoblastoma (eye cancer)
- Prostate cancer
- Early thyroid cancer
- Other risks
They might even help you avoid a cancer diagnosis.
Integrating genomics and data science has put Geisinger at the forefront of precision healthcare.
Precision medicine: It’s all about you
Precision medicine allows doctors to personalize treatments based on a genetic-level understanding of you and your disease. Treatments for cancer may include a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy, along with drugs that have been proven effective against cancers with specific genetic markers.
Our researchers may even be working to develop innovative new drugs and procedures that directly target your specific cancer. These approaches may be available to you through clinical trials — research investigations in which people volunteer to test new drugs and treatments.
We have a team of researchers dedicated to cancer research, such as our DETECT study, which seeks to understand how well a blood test works for finding cancer.
The best choice for clinical trials
We’ve been participating in trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute — one of the largest funders of cancer researchers in the world — for over 30 years, and we are one of only two hospital systems in Pennsylvania participating in the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program.
This program brings prestigious trials to Geisinger clinics in your community.
- Phase II trials test the effectiveness of cancer treatments.
- Phase III trials test new cancer treatments against the current standard of care.
Cancer clinical trials at Geisinger include new:
- Cancer-fighting drugs (including chemotherapy)
- Screenings tests to detect cancer earlier
- Cancer surgery techniques
- Devices, including tumor-treating fields, that destroy tumors with low levels of electricity
We invest in state-of-the-art technology
We’re committed to investing in technologies that provide the best care for our patients. When it comes to treating cancer, the CyberKnife® and TrueBeam® systems provide minimally invasive treatments that are highly effective at targeting cancer and sparing the healthy tissue that surrounds it.
These fully robotic radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatment systems deliver high-energy radiation with pinpoint precision — no surgery, no incisions and no postsurgical healing required. They treat cancerous and noncancerous tumors while tracking and adjusting for patient or tumor movement to minimize radiation exposure to healthy cells.
Fellowship-trained cancer specialists
We’re home to one of the region’s largest teams of fellowship-trained cancer specialists. Fellowship training means these doctors received at least two years of additional training in their specialties after finishing medical school. Working as a team, backed by the latest research and with the latest technology at their fingertips, our doctors are poised to provide you with care that’s as effective as it is compassionate.