Grand Valley Oncology
Grand Junction, CO 81505
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Community Hospital’s Grand Valley Oncology is committed to improving our patients and their families’ quality of life right here on the Western Slope. We understand that access to care, comfort and compassion is important in treating cancer. In recognizing this we offer a patient-centered approach that treats the whole patient and not just the disease. We put patients first.
Medical Oncology
Medical oncology is the ongoing evaluation and management of cancer patients through the treatment of their disease with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted agents.
The medical oncology team consists of medical oncologists, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, oncology nurses and other oncology-trained staff. Our multidisciplinary team works with each patient to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to their unique needs and diagnosis. They will continue to assist patients with side effects they may experience during cancer treatment, offer medical guidance and help patients make decisions throughout their treatment.
Our medical oncology team are all board certified and have years of experience in treating blood and marrow transplant, breast cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal malignancies, neuro oncology and melanoma/sarcoma.
Medical Oncology Providers
Radiation Oncology
A patient's individualized cancer treatment plan may include radiation therapy. In this treatment, high-energy x-rays, electrons, or other sources of radiation are used to destroy cancer cells.
Treatment with radiation is provided by a team of radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and physicists. Our highly trained and experienced radiation therapy team works closely with medical oncologists, surgeons and specialists from other disciplines to provide the best, comprehensive cancer care possible.
Grand Valley Oncology offers these specialized forms of external beam radiation therapy:
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
IMRT optimizes the dose and beam arrangement to precisely treat a tumor of complex shape or location with minimal radiation to surrounding tissue.
Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR)
SABR uses three-dimensional images and precise patient positioning to direct a large dose of radiation to a small area.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
SRS is a non-surgical procedure using radiation to deliver treatment to small brain tumors or lesions. Treatment accuracy is within millimeters. Treatment delivery is in large doses but only over a single or few treatments.
High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR)
Radiation delivered by placing a radioactive source within your body close to the tumor. Can be used to treat gynecological as well as prostate cancers.
Our advanced radiation equipment allows us to target treatment of tumors with remarkable precision and thereby spare healthy surrounding tissue – maximizing cures while minimizing side effects.
Radiation Oncology Providers
Gynecologic Oncology
Community Hospital proudly employs the only gynecologic oncology surgeons on the Western Slope.
Our team recognizes that every woman is unique. We are dedicated to serving women in the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of gynecological cancers. Dr Croft and Dr. Bigsby are highly skilled in the most state-of-the-art technology and techniques, allowing their patients to receive the best possible care close to home.
Dr. Croft and Dr. Bigsby work closely with the medical and radiation oncologists at Grand Valley Oncology. This multidisciplinary team approach ensures the best possible outcome for their patients.
Click here for more information.
Meet Your Providers
Supportive Oncology & Survivorship Care
Due to the advances in early detection and treatment, cancer survivors are living longer than ever before. It is estimated that by 2022 there will be 18 million cancer survivors. That is why Grand Valley Oncology strives to offer the best to our patients in providing comprehensive care in our survivorship clinic.
What is survivorship care?
Grand Valley Oncology understands that survivors will have significant medical and psychological needs following their active oncology treatment. It is our goal to help patients with this transition through our survivorship program.
What should you expect?
As patients begin to transition from active oncology treatment, the provider will refer the patient to the survivorship clinic. At the clinic, the focus will be on:
- Education
- Symptom management
- Wellness
What will happen during my visit?
- Comprehensive review of your medical history
- Complete physical examination
- Extensive review of all relevant study results
- Thorough assessment to detect the recurrence of cancer
- Management of long term effects of cancer treatment
- Recommendations regarding healthy lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation, etc.)
- Referrals to other specialists as needed
- Opportunities to participate in research dedicated to survivorship care
Click here to read the Grand Valley Oncology Supportive Oncology Newsletter.
Meet Your Providers
Integrative Therapies
Grand Valley Oncology’s Integrative Wellness Program promotes physical and emotional well-being and a sense of balance for people diagnosed with cancer and for their loved ones. The Center's programs and services complement the medical care of GVO patients before, during, and after treatment.
Acupuncture
Practiced for thousands of years, acupuncture is one branch of a holistic system known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Its function is to promote health and treat distressing symptoms. Acupuncture is the ancient practice of inserting fine sterile needles through the skin to stimulate specific anatomic points on the body. An overall treatment goal of TCM acupuncture is to assist the body’s natural ability to heal by influencing the quality, balance and flow of one’s energy system.
Adapted from traditional Chinese medicine, this technique uses fine needles that are inserted through the skin at specific points. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved sterile, nontoxic needles for single use by licensed practitioners.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a program of directed thoughts and suggestions that guide your imagination toward a relaxed, focused state. You can use an instructor, tapes, or scripts to help you through this process.
Healing Haven
The Healing Haven aims to provide the convenience of high-quality, meaningful products at the lowest possible cost, including Thorne supplements and cooling therapy agents. The Healing Haven also offers wigs, blankets, port pillows, and head coverings at no cost to our patients. These free items are donated, and availability may vary.
Restorative Movement
Restorative Movement comprises a wide variety of methods — such as meditation, mindfulness strategies, breath work, relaxation techniques. Research has indicated that a daily practice of yoga to be beneficial during both active treatment and long into survivorship.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is graceful, relaxed, slow and fluid movement. Unlike some qigong methods that exercise specific systems or parts of the body, Taiji Quan is a whole body, whole mind exercise. It treats health systemically, restoring the body to its original “program,” uncorrupted by stress, pollution and disease.
Ortho-Bionomy
Ortho-Bionomy is a neurological and structural approach to body work that relieves tension and pain in the body. It uses gentle positioning and movements which can allow tension patterns which are creating pain to relax, reset and reorganize from within.
Weight Reduction Program
Through our Integrative Wellness Program, we offer weight loss and a healthier lifestyle education to assist in maintain your results after dieting. This may include working closing with the Wellness Center (link to their program), local referrals, integrated classes, and personal coaching with the survivorship program.
Click here to review the upcoming class schedule.
Genetic Counseling
Genetic counseling is the process of reviewing your personal and family history to determine if you and/or your family members may have an increased risk for specific health conditions. People with a family history of cancer have a higher risk of getting cancer. Only 5-10 percent of all cancers are caused by inherited mutations.
A genetic counselor can help you make informed decisions about your health care. Information obtained from genetic risk assessment and testing can:
- Be used to create a personalized screening and risk reduction plan.
- Provide information about risks to your family members.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with our certified genetic counselor, please ask your primary care provider for a referral for genetic counseling. Once the referral is received, our office will contact you to schedule the appointment. Referrals can be sent to Grand Valley Oncology, (phone 970-644-3180, fax 970-644-3198).
Signs that you and/or your family may benefit from genetic counseling:
- Several members on the same side of the family with the same kind or related types of cancer
- Cancer diagnosed at a young age (breast, colon, or uterine cancer before 50)
- Family members with more than one kind of cancer (ex. breast and ovarian cancer, colon and uterine cancer)
- Family members with rare cancers (ex. ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, male breast cancer)
During a genetic counseling consultation, you and the genetic counselor will discuss:
- Personal and/or family history of cancer
- Personalized risk calculations & chance of having an inherited cancer syndrome
- Recommendations made about cancer screening and prevention
- Genetic testing options, costs and insurance coverage
Is genetic counseling covered by my insurance?
For most patients, genetic counseling is covered by insurance. A benefits review will be completed before you are contacted to schedule an appointment. If genetic counseling is not covered by your insurance, you will be contacted by a Grand Valley Oncology staff member to discuss the cost and payment options.
Is genetic testing covered by my insurance?
Genetic testing is covered for many patients depending on personal and family history of specific health conditions. During your genetic counseling session you will discuss:
- Whether or not you meet criteria for genetic testing.
- Possible out-of-pocket expenses.
Meet Your Providers
Rapid Diagnostic Clinic
The Rapid Diagnostic Clinic (RDC) helps quickly diagnose breast changes to ensure that patients receive appropriate care. Patients can be seen in our clinic through either a referral from their primary care physician due to a concerning finding or through an abnormal screening mammogram as recommended by a radiologist.
Patients who come to the clinic get all of their mammograms, additional views, ultrasounds and biopsies as necessary in one morning with navigation through the process by our team nurses and radiologists. Patients who need surgical follow-up are seen 24-48 hours later with fast-tracked biopsy results to start making a plan for treatment. The Rapid Diagnostic Clinic can help identify the reasons behind breast changes in a matter of days rather than weeks.
Some indicators of breast cancer may include a new lump in the breast or underarm, thickening or swelling of part of the breast, irritation or dimpling of the breast skin, redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast, pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area, nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood, any change in size or shape of the breast, pain in any area of the breast. It is important to note that these symptoms can occur with other conditions that are not cancer. If signs or symptoms cause concern, individuals are encouraged to contact their physician right away.
Meet Your Providers
Clinical Trials
Clinical Trials Mission Statement
Service. Excellence. Partnerships. Integrity. Attitude.
Our mission is to provide the highest quality health care possible in a safe and comfortable environment. Clinical Trials offers patients additional options for various types of cancer outside of standard treatment options. Clinical trials can help support new and innovative methods of cancer treatment options for generations to come. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) supports the use of clinical trials and strongly encourages participation in clinical trials for optimized management of cancer care. We continue to expand the number of clinical trials offered at Community Hospital's Grand Valley Oncology. We are working diligently to ensure patients can receive the best possible cancer care right here at home and we are proud to be the premier cancer center on the Western Slope.
What are clinical trials?
Clinical trials are research studies that test a medical, surgical or behavioral intervention in order to answer one of more questions. There are many different types of clinical trials/research studies, including by not limited to:
- Evaluating new drugs.
- Evaluating new ways to give already approved drugs or new combinations of drugs.
- Evaluating new combinations of treatments such as surgery or radiation.
- New cancer prevention methods (e.g. nutrition, exercise, etc.).
- Mew methods to diagnose cancer (e.g. screening, diagnostic tests, etc.).
- Ways to make life better for cancer patients (e.g. symptom management, counseling, etc.).
Participation in a clinical trial is 100% voluntary. This means you can withdraw from the study at any time if you or your medical team decide the clinical trial is no longer the best option for you.
Clinical Trial Phases
Clinical Trials are tested in a series of phases that must be followed carefully in order for a new treatment to be approved for commercial use. New testing of a treatment will begin with small populations of volunteers to determine safety and dosing parameters before moving into larger patient populations to establish the treatment as a working alternative to other commercially available treatments.
What are the Benefits and Risks of Participation?
As with any treatment option, a clinical trial has possible benefits and drawbacks. Please discuss the following with your provider:
Possible Benefits
- Clinical trials offer high-quality cancer care. If you are in a randomized study and do not receive the new treatment being tested, you will receive the best-known standard treatment. This may be as good as, or better than, the new approach.
- If a new treatment is proven to work and you are receiving it, you may be among the first to benefit.
- You have the chance to help others and improve cancer treatment.
Possible Drawbacks
- New treatments under study are not always better than, or even as good as, standard care.
- New treatments may have side effects that doctors do not expect or that are worse than those of standard treatment.
- Even if a new treatment has benefits, it may not work for you. Even standard treatments, proven effective for many people, do not help everyone.
- Health insurance and managed care providers may not cover all patient care costs in a study.
Other Resources
For more information about Clinical Research and cancer diagnoses you can access the following sites:
Hhs.gov - About Research Participation
How do I participate in Clinical Trials?
Each clinical trial has patients with a specific type and stage of cancer. Participating in a clinical trial is your decision, however your doctor must first determine if you meet the requirements for the study you are interested in.
In general, you must meet these requirements:
- The type and extent of your cancer has the same characteristics as the cancer being studied.
- A doctor has reviewed your general health, and it meets study requirements.
- We have answered all your questions about clinical trials.
- You understand the possible benefits and risks of participating.
- You agree to participate, and you have signed and submitted your informed consent form.
For more information on the clinical trials at Community Hospital’s Grand Valley Oncology, please call (970) 644-4460.
Available Clinical Trials at Grand Valley Oncology
Please click on links below to learn more about each trial.
Breast
- T-DM1 and Tucatinib Compared With T-DM1 Alone in Preventing Relapses in People With High Risk HER2-Positive Breast Cancer, the CompassHER2 RD Trial
- OP-1250 (Palazestrant) vs. Standard of Care for the Treatment of ER+/HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer
Leukemia
- Testing Early Treatment for Patients With High-Risk Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) or Small Lymphocytic Leukemia (SLL), EVOLVE CLL/SLL Study
- A Study to Customize Ibrutinib Treatment Regimens for Participants With Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Lung
- Testing the Timing of Pembrolizumab Alone or With Chemotherapy as First Line Treatment and Maintenance in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
- Coming Soon! - A Study to Assess Disease Activity and Adverse Events of Intravenous (IV) Telisotuzumab Vedotin Compared to IV Docetaxel in Adult Participants With Previously Treated Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Solid Tumors – Multiple Disease Types
- A Study of Disitamab Vedotin Alone or With Other Anticancer Drugs in Solid Tumors
- A Study of Disitamab Vedotin in Previously Treated Solid Tumors That Express HER2
- Safety and Tolerability of TNG908 in Patients With MTAP-Deleted Solid Tumors
Other - Treatment Side Effects
- Monitoring Symptoms to Help Young Women Take Hormone Therapy for Stage I-III Breast Cancer, ASPEN Study
- Olanzapine Versus Megestrol Acetate for the Treatment of Loss of Appetite Among Advanced Cancer Patients
Other - Quality of Life, BioMarkers, Supportive Care
In addition to the above trials open at Grand Valley Oncology, we also have access to several clinical trials through our research partners. Please contact us to see if we have a trial for you!
Conflict of Interest
In accordance with Federal regulations and institutional policy, researchers at Colorado West Healthcare System and Grand Valley Oncology are required to disclose Significant Financial Interests (SFIs). Additionally, Colorado West Healthcare System and Grand Valley Oncology are required to post our institutional policy related to Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) for researchers. The policy is available here.
Members of the public can request and obtain the following information concerning any SFIs held be senior/key personnel for a Public Health Service funded research project where the SFI is determined to be a Financial Conflict of Interest, as defined by our policy:
- The researcher's name
- The researcher's title and role with respect to the research project
- The name of the entity in which the significant financial interest is held
- Nature of the Significant Financial Interest
Approximate dollar value (by dollar range) of the significant financial interest or statement that the interest is one whose value cannot be readily determined through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value.
To obtain this information, please email gvoclinicaltrials@gjhosp.org. We require the name of the researcher or a description of the records of interest in order to access the information. Please include the address to which the information shall be sent. Once the request is received, a response will be provided within five business days.
Information for Sponsors
Our current FWA status can be verified by entering FWA "00024869" (or Colorado West Healthcare System) here . We have created a Site Information Profile Document to assist sponsors in assessing whether or not we may be a good fit for a potential study. Please request a copy by emailing our clinical trials team.
Our research team meets every Tuesday to review potential research studies. Please email your introduction letter and/or synopsis to gvoclinicaltrials@gjhosp.org with an attention to the research director.
Student Internship Opportunities
Grand Valley Oncology offers student internship opportunities. Please contact our clinical trials team to learn more about available internships.
Cancer Rehabilitation Program
Our Cancer Rehabilitation Program is committed to improving quality of life for cancer patients through individualized rehabilitation exercise. Sessions help patients maximize independence in daily activities, improve strength and endurance, decrease fatigue and manage pain.
Physical Therapy
Cancer and treatment can cause physical problems including pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness. These may then interfere with life in a variety of ways including physically, emotionally and practically. While not all cancer survivors need rehabilitation services that are guided by health care professionals, most will need to at least work on improving strength and stamina.
Lymphedema Clinic
Lymphedema causes swelling in the arms and legs. Some cancer survivors may experience lymphedema as a side effect of surgical or radiation cancer treatment. Early identification and treatment may prevent the condition from progressing and this can improve quality of life.
Occupational Therapy
Cancer and its treatment can cause interruptions in daily routines affecting how individuals perform their self-care, work, leisure or social activities. Occupational therapy practitioners have the knowledge and expertise to modify activities and environments to allow individuals to do the things they want and need to do to maintain quality of life.
Speech Therapist
Therapists address problems you might experience, including dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, loss of voice and cognitive changes that can result from cancer treatment.
As part of this free service:
- We help the patient and their loved one’s cope with a cancer diagnosis.
- We teach stress-reduction techniques, behavior modification, and cognitive reframing skills.
- We support our patients as they make informed decisions regarding healthcare.
- We help you access community and national resources, including transportation to treatment, SSI, Medicaid, and financial assistance grants.
- We help you better understand and complete advanced directives.
- We advocate for the patient from the point of diagnosis through treatment and/or survivorship.
Hannah Tucker holds a Masters in Social Work from Colorado Mesa University and assists with advanced directives, access to community resources, gas card/lodging applications, and chair-side emotional support. In the upcoming months, Hannah will also begin to offer counseling services.
Samritha Sanchez holds a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Colorado Christian University and provides individual, couples, and family therapy as well as financial counseling. Samritha is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor formally trained in EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples, and CBT.
Physician Cancer Teams
Head and Neck Cancer Team
Our head and neck cancer care team strives to provide our patients with the most compassionate care and comprehensive care possible. Our approach is not only patient centered, but with the goal that we treat the whole patient, not just the disease. In order to best serve our patients, we offer a multidisciplinary clinic in which patients can meet with all the physicians who will be involved in their care. In addition, this clinic includes meetings with the ancillary services offered: speech and swallow therapy, nutrition and physical therapy.
Head and Neck Cancer Team
Left-to-right: Ryan Bagley, MD, Radiation Oncology; Jonathan Frandsen, MD, Radiation Oncology; Adam Baker, MD, ENT and Facial Plastic Surgery; Katie McKee-Cole, MD, ENT; Jonathan King, MD, Medical Oncology.
Surgery
Surgical resection plays a key role in the management of many cancers of the head and neck. These surgeries are complex and often require expertise in modern reconstructive techniques. Dr. Katie McKee-Cole and Dr. Adam Baker come to Grand Junction from high volume head and neck cancer centers in Philadelphia. They are trained in all the latest surgical and reconstructive techniques. We are lucky to have their expertise available to our patients.
Radiation
Radiation also plays a vital role in the management of head and neck cancers. In the last decade, numerous advanced techniques have been developed to decrease the risk of short and long term side effects from radiation. Dr. J Ryan Bagley and Dr. Jonathan Frandsen come to our team from high volume, world class cancer centers where they learned how to employ these advanced planning and treatment techniques. In addition, at Community Hospital we have acquired the most advanced, state of the art radiation equipment currently available, the TrueBeam from Varian Medical Systems. The combination of our physicians' expertise and state of the art treatment techniques allows for improved cancer outcomes and better recovery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is integral to achieving good outcomes in many head and neck cancers. Dr. Jonathan King comes to us from the University of Wisconsin, a world thought leader in advancements for treatments for these diseases. Dr. King offers the latest knowledge and expertise in chemotherapy and immunotherapies.
Lung Cancer Team
Our lung cancer care team's approach is not only patient centered but also focuses on treating the whole patient and not just the disease. We strive to provide our patients with the most compassionate and comprehensive care possible.A patient's individualized cancer treatment plan may include radiation therapy. In this treatment, high-energy x-rays, electrons, or other sources of radiation are used to destroy cancer cells.
Treatment with radiation is provided by a team of radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and physicists. Our highly trained and experienced radiation therapy team works closely with medical oncologists, surgeons and specialists from other disciplines to provide the best, comprehensive cancer care possible.
Left to Right: Brent Woodson, DO, Pulmonology; Jonathan Frandsen, MD, Radiation Oncology; Ryan Bagley, MD, Radiation Oncology; Jonathan King, MD, Medical Oncology; Robert Brooks, MD, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery
Pulmonology
Dr. Brent Woodson is a triple board certified pulmonologist with Advanced Pulmonary and Critical Care of the Grand Valley. He is committed to giving patients with lung cancer first priority to be seen in a timely manner to efficiently begin treatment. His role in lung cancer is critical from diagnosis to recovery from lung cancer therapies. He is trained in all the modern lung cancer techniques, including advanced bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound guided biopsies (a procedure that is critical for proper staging of lung cancer).
Surgery
Surgical resection plays a critical role in the management of lung cancer. Dr. Robert Brooks is board certified in thoracic surgery. He brings decades of experience to our team. He is trained in the latest techniques, including video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Over his career, he has operated on thousands of patients.
Chemotherapy
Dr. Jonathan King is our lung cancer specialist. His bedside manner is outstanding. One of his patients referred to him as "a cup of love" and when you see his joyful smile and sense his compassionate heart, you may very well agree. In addition to traditional chemotherapies, he and his team at Grand Valley Oncology offer the latest treatments available for individuals with lung cancer, including cutting edge clinical trials and immunotherapy.
Radiation Oncology
Radiation also plays an important role in the management of lung cancers. In the last decade, numerous advanced techniques have been developed to decrease the risk of short and long term side effects from radiation. Dr. J Ryan Bagley and Dr. Jonathan Frandsen utilize advanced planning and treatment techniques. Community Hospital has state-of-the-art radiation oncology equipment, the TrueBeam from Varian Medical Systems. The combination of our physicians' expertise and treatment techniques allows for improved cancer outcomes.
Radiology
At community hospital, we offer a wide array of services for our lung cancer patients, including: lung cancer screening; CT guided biopsies; PET CT services; and the latest interventional procedures (cryotherapy and microwave ablation). As a group, our radiology team has decades of experience.