Cancer Care
No one wants to hear the word cancer, but if you do, the expert doctors
and cancer specialists at St. John’s hospitals are dedicated to your health and healing.
When dealing with a cancer diagnosis, we know how hard it can be to coordinate the various aspects of your care. At St. John's Regional Medical Center, we provide you with access to everything you will need during your treatment. We are here to help when you need us most. Our mission is to provide the highest quality cancer care for every patient who walks through our doors. Our whole body and mind approach integrates wellness practices alongside the latest therapeutics and procedures in a unique multidisciplinary approach. So much more than just medicine goes into treating our cancer patients.
We are proud leaders in cancer care, providing the latest innovative treatments and follow-up care. We are accredited by the Commission on Cancer with Commendation, accredited as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center, and recipients of the Women’s Choice Award by America’s Best Hospitals for Cancer Care.
At St. John’s Regional Cancer Center we are committed to providing you with compassionate cancer care that empowers you with knowledge and aims to extend and improve your quality of life. We use an integrative approach to tackle all cancer cases. St. John's Regional Cancer Center offers support, services, and resources for cancer patients and their families.
St. John’s offers a minimally invasive robotic-assisted bronchoscopy procedure with Ion. With accurate precision and stability, Ion enables physicians to obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung, addressing a challenging aspect of lung biopsy.
During the Ion bronchoscopy, your physician guides an ultra-thin catheter through your airway to the area of your lung for biopsy. The small, flexible catheter can reach all segments of the lung — even far into the outer lung. Once at the nodule for biopsy the catheter locks in place. Your physician inserts biopsy tools through the catheter to take a sample of your lung tissue.
Ion made by Intuitive, maker of the da Vinci surgical system, is built on more than two decades of leadership in robotic-assisted technology. Ion complements our robotic-assisted surgical program, enabling patients to receive all care —from biopsy to surgery— at our hospital. Learn more
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This next generation surgical robotic system is designed to perform some of the most complex procedures with unmatched precision through the smallest incisions possible – allowing you to get back on your feet sooner. Learn more
The IMRT is considered to be the most significant technological breakthrough in radiation treatment in the last 30 years, IMRT is a painless, non-surgical treatment that allows the radiation oncologists at the Radiation Oncology Center of Ventura County to precisely target cancer cells while minimizing side effects.
The SBRT is an image-guided radiation therapy of the 21st century, redefines cancer treatment using sophisticated technology to target tumors with high-dose radiation while sparing healthy tissue.
THe HDR brachytherapy involves the temporary robotic placement of a powerful radiation source, allowing your radiation oncology team to accurately and quickly deliver treatment directly to the tumor.
This state-of-the art scanner that has the ability to perform non-invasive, precise imaging to produce the clearest images possible, allowing our experts to diagnose with greater accuracy.
This new and versatile MRI is the only 3T magnet in any acute care hospital in Ventura County, offering patients a more comfortable scan experience while generating extraordinary image quality for the physician.
This minimally invasive therapies most frequently performed by our radiologists under imaging (CT) guidance can be highly effective in completely eliminating small liver tumors.
An image-guided, non-surgical procedure that is used to treat malignant lesions in the liver by delivering chemotherapy directly to the tumor while sparing the patient many side effects of traditional chemotherapy.
Innovative multimodality therapies including immunotherapy, target therapy, biologic therapy and chemotherapy are provided by the Cancer Center’s physician partners, Ventura County Hematology Oncology group, at their three offices and infusion centers in Oxnard, Camarillo and Ventura, offering cutting-edge cancer treatment while minimizing side effects of therapy.
Through early detection, our screening program can save the lives of persons at high risk for lung cancer. The St. John’s Regional Cancer Center’s early detection lung cancer program is accredited by the American College of Radiology and is Ventura County’s first lung cancer screening program to receive the Lung Cancer Alliance Screening Center of Excellence designation. Using the latest advances in low-dose high-resolution CT scans, our specialists are able to detect cancer even before symptoms become noticeable. In 2018, 79 high-risk persons received lung cancer screening and follow-up. Two were found to have early-stage lung cancer.
Oncology Nurse Navigator
Alicia Zaragoza, Certified Nuse Practitioner
Specially trained to personally guide patients and their families through the entire course of cancer treatment. Collaborates with entire medical team to create a customized, individual treatment and recovery plan for each patient. Certified Breast Nurse for breast cancer cases. Fluent in English and Spanish.
Oncology Nutritional Counselor
Susan J. Speer, MS, RD, CSO, FADA
Certified Oncology Nutritionist, who provides integrated nutritional care with a holistic approach, tailored to the patient’s specific needs.
Emotional Counseling
Diane Martell, LMFT
A licensed therapist who helps our patients and their families cope with a cancer diagnosis. Individual, family, and group sessions are available.
Genetic Counseling Services
Education, counseling, testing, and resources are available for those individuals at risk.
Cancer patients at St. John’s receive access to national clinical trials through partnerships with academic and research institutions who are leaders in cancer research. Ventura County Hematology- Oncology Specialists has a variety of clinical trials open for enrollment to patients who meet the specific study criteria to be eligible for participation in a clinical trial. For questions about clinical trials, please call (805) 485- 8709 ext. 129.
The St. John’s Regional Cancer Center Rehabilitation Program (STAR Program) provides patients with comprehensive rehabilitation by a team of certified cancer rehabilitation professionals. Each team member provides expertise, guidance, training and support. Our rehabilitation program is dedicated to integrated care for cancer survivors.
Your rehabilitation plan
As a cancer rehabilitation program patient, you will receive coordinated and comprehensive rehabilitation treatment to help improve the issues that affect your daily life. Your cancer rehabilitation plan will depend on individualized goals that focus on increasing strength and energy, managing pain, and improving your quality of life.
Cancer rehabilitation treats the following symptoms:
When dealing with a cancer diagnosis, we know how hard it can be to coordinate the various aspects of your care. At St. John’s hospitals, we offer various classes (nutrition, fitness, and therapy) and programs to help you fight against cancer. We also provide resources and support groups to family members. All services are complimentary.
