Call 314-ANTHONY or 800-554-9550 for
Cancer Care Services
Physician Profile
Eddy C. Hsueh, M.D.
Eric J. Sutphen, M.D.
Gregory J. Bailey, M.D., Ph.D.
Michael Gu, M.D.
Peter Fonseca, M.D., Ph.D., FACS
R. William Morris, M.D., M.B.A.
William J. Moriconi, M.D.
“Often times the life they exude is at a pretty high level. They are in touch with what really matters in life. It is a great privilege to stand with someone in those circumstances, almost on the horizon of eternity, and be in a relationship with them.”
Dr. Sutphen was attracted to oncology early in his career.
“Before I went to medical school I did ambulance work and transportation for patients going to and from their cancer treatments,” he said. “I very much enjoyed them and being involved in the medical team that took care of them. There is a level of openness about them, and you’re seeing the character and virtue in their lives.”
At St. Anthony’s, Dr. Sutphen directs one of the most technologically advanced radiation oncology departments in existence.
“We are state of the art, and have probably the only completely integrated radiation oncology department in the St. Louis area. There are numerous components and all are compatible. The operating system allows for efficiencies in sharing data and communication within the system – record management, scheduling, data acquisition from imaging, CAT scans, PET scans, image fusion, treatment machines and quality assurance.”
The radiation oncology department at St. Anthony’s has put into service the Trilogy Stereotactic System, which is the most precise and powerful radiation technology available for treatment of cancer and many neurological disorders.
“Stereotactic radiosurgery gives us the ability to treat very small, very accurate fields with imaging beforehand to make sure we are on target,” Dr. Sutphen said. “The Trilogy unit not only does stereotactic radiosurgery but also intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT).
“We can treat 360 degrees around the patient. It allows more approaches to the tumor. The indications for stereotactic radiosurgery are branching beyond intracranial situations to the spine, lungs and possibly other areas,” Dr. Sutphen said. “In some instances it is being used for early-stage lung cancer, and it is showing tremendous potential for small lung tumors in patients who cannot have surgery because of emphysema.”
The design of the Trilogy linear accelerator permits higher radiation dose rates that reduce treatment times. “Instead of possibly a two-hour treatment, which is not unusual, we can shorten that to under an hour. The amount of mobilization time for the patient, which can be excruciating, is reduced,” Dr. Sutphen said.
The introduction of the Trilogy system has further broadened the treatment options available in the multidisciplinary approach to cancer care at St. Anthony’s.
“It has expanded the depth of what we can do,” Dr. Sutphen said. “The team approach really is becoming more and more important. The pathologists, radiologists and surgeons work side by side on the tumor boards and cancer committees. We have the thoracic oncology program, a breast tumor board, a general tumor board, a GI/GU tumor board. We have a broad range of individuals with a broad range of talents.”
The radiation oncology service at St. Anthony’s employs more than two dozen people who are dedicated to cancer patients, he said. “We have a great team of therapists, nurses and front office staff who do a ton of things to make this place a home for our patients. There is an excellent physics department that helps with the software, treatment planning and quality assurance. The dosimetrists work with the doctors as a team to design the treatments.
“We are a family. There is great longevity here. We get to share in the quality of life our patients exhibit.”
For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit our find a physician online.
At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization — and your first choice for health care services.