Cancer/Oncology
St. Tammany Health System offers one of the region’s most trusted and advanced cancer programs, bringing together expert oncologists, diagnosticians, surgeons, and specialists. Accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and NAPBC, the program is recognized for excellence in cancer detection, treatment, and comprehensive patient care.
World-class cancer care, close to home.
Designated one of America’s Best Hospitals for Cancer Care, STHS has the care you need, and right here in your backyard.
Teamwork. Trust. Compassion. Quality. Innovation. The medical professionals at St. Tammany Health System exhibit those values every single day – and dedication to each of them is on full display with our comprehensive cancer care program.
From the recognized excellence of our Women’s Pavilion to our adoption of groundbreaking detection technologies to the central role we play at the St. Tammany Cancer Center, a campus of Ochsner Medical Center, our team of oncologists, diagnosticians, surgeons and other cancer-care experts have come together to build one of the region’s most trusted and advanced cancer programs, accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and NAPBC, and recognized as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Cancer Care.
In short, St. Tammany Health System has become the premier place to go on the Northshore for cancer care, from diagnosis to treatment to, most importantly, survivorship.
And best of all, it’s right here in Covington – which means Northshore residents can get some of the best cancer care available without ever leaving the place they love best: home.
Setting the standard
In addition to its involvement as a partner in the new St. Tammany Cancer Center, a campus of Ochsner Medical, St. Tammany Health System’s cancer care program has been providing Northshore patients with world-class cancer care close to home for years. Below, find more details about what sets it apart.
With new treatments frequently emerging, St. Tammany Health System has shown a dedication to investing in the latest technologies to provide patients with the most up-to-date care available. Among recent investments:
- Video Assisted Thoracoscopies (VAT) used in lung surgery.
- Uronav Dynacad system ($200,000), used in prostate surgery.
- Saviscout, used in breast and melanoma surgeries.
- Robotic surgery ($1.8 million), used in cancer and non-cancer surgeries of the abdomen. All enable less-invasive surgery with minimal blood loss and complications, and reduced length of hospital stay.
St. Tammany Health System launched its ACR-accredited low-dose CT scan (LDCT) screening program in 2015 as part of our ongoing prevention/early detection efforts. Among things to know about it:
- LDCT scans can help find abnormal areas in the lungs that may be cancer. Research has shown that using LDCT scans to screen people at higher risk of lung cancer saved more lives compared to chest X-rays.
- For higher risk people, getting yearly LDCT scans before symptoms start helps lower the risk of dying from lung cancer.
- If lung cancer is found at an earlier stage, when it is small and before it has spread, it is more likely to be successfully treated.
Offered through the efforts of our Lung Multidisciplinary Team, Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a minimally invasive procedure. Things to know about it:
- EBUS allows the pulmonologist to use ultrasound to visualize structures within the airway wall, lung and mediastinum, and to guide sampling of suspicious masses or mediastinal lymph nodes.
- Although EBUS can allow for a diagnosis of cancer or other lung conditions, a major advantage is in the staging (both size of tumor and nodal involvement) and restaging of patients with suspected or known non-small-cell lung cancer.
- St. Tammany Health System was the first facility on Northshore with this capability, enabling patients to receive care close to home.
A minimally invasive procedure to assess gastrointestinal diseases, Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) is an alternative to exploratory surgery. Among things to know about it:
- Its implementation at St. Tammany Health System has resulted in substantial increase in GI cancer cases diagnosed.
- It produces detailed images of the lining and walls of your digestive tract and chest, nearby organs such as the pancreas and liver, and lymph nodes.
- It allows for sampling (biopsy) of fluid and tissue from a patient’s abdomen.
- Although EUS can allow for a diagnosis of cancer or other digestive conditions, a major advantage is in the staging (both size of tumor and nodal involvement) and restaging.
- St. Tammany Health System was the first facility on Northshore with this capability, enabling patients to receive care close to home.
A closer look at some of STHS's related services
The new St. Tammany Cancer Center
St. Tammany Cancer Center, a campus of Ochsner Medical Center, represents a joint commitment by St. Tammany Health System and its partner Ochsner to bring world-class cancer care to the Northshore.
Opened in June 2021, the three-story, $50 million facility – located at the intersection of Interstate 12 and Highway 21 – is dedicated to integrative oncology, a philosophy in which a multidisciplinary team of cancer experts from both health systems work to treat the whole patient rather than just the disease.
That includes utilizing some of the most up-to-date technology available and providing access to the largest clinical trials network in Louisiana. At the same time, it also involves addressing patients’ nutritional and emotional needs through its “Lagniappe Services,” which include a therapeutic food pantry, availability of medical acupuncture as well as tai-chi, yoga and meditation classes.
There’s no other facility like it in the region – and there’s no other place better equipped to treat the cancer needs of local residents right here at home.
Learn more at NorthshoreCancerCare.org.
Weekly activities
Healing Yoga | Fridays at 10 a.m.
Chair Yoga | Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
Tai Chi: Healing in Motion | Mondays at 9 a.m.
Mindful Meditation | Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.
Monthly activities
Art Therapy
Music, Relaxation and Imagery Therapy
Music Heals Therapy
Support Groups (Breast)
Music, Relaxation and Imagery Therapy
Shared Medical Visits
Cooking Demonstration
Galleri Multi-Cancer Early Detection Test
The Galleri® Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) test is an innovative cancer screening tool that uses a simple blood sample to detect a common cancer indication present in 50 types of cancer. It is effective in identifying certain cancers that currently lack recommended screening methods. Furthermore, it has the capability to identify elusive, aggressive, and often fatal cancers such as pancreatic, ovarian, and esophageal cancers.
The MCED test is not intended to replace the recommended yearly cancer screenings in the United States, but rather to complement them. It looks for signals in the blood that may be associated with cancer. When it detects a cancer signal, the test can often pinpoint the cancer's source in the body, which can help the care team plan the next steps for either treatment or additional diagnostic testing.
The MCED test is recommended for adults at a higher risk for cancer, particularly people aged 50 or older. This new blood test is meant to add to, not replace, other cancer screening tests your healthcare provider suggests. It's important to know that the MCED test does not find all cancers and does not assess your genetic risk for developing cancer in the future.
The Galleri test is recommended for use in adults with an elevated risk for cancer, such as those aged 50 or older. The Galleri test does not detect all cancers and should be used in addition to routine cancer screening tests recommended by a healthcare provider. Galleri is intended to detect cancer signals and predict where in the body the cancer signal is located. Use of Galleri is not recommended in individuals who are pregnant, 21 years old or younger, or undergoing active cancer treatment. Results should be interpreted by a healthcare provider in the context of medical history, clinical signs and symptoms. A test result of “No Cancer Signal Detected” does not rule out cancer. A test result of “Cancer Signal Detected” requires confirmatory diagnostic evaluation by medically established procedures (e.g. imaging) to confirm cancer. If cancer is not confirmed with further testing, it could mean that cancer is not present or testing was insufficient to detect cancer, including due to the cancer being located in a different part of the body. False-positive (a cancer signal detected when cancer is not present) and false-negative (a cancer signal not detected when cancer is present) test results do occur.
The GRAIL laboratory is CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited. The Galleri test was developed and its performance characteristics were determined by GRAIL. The Galleri test has not been cleared or approved by FDA. The GRAIL laboratory is regulated under CLIA to perform high-complexity testing. The Galleri test is for clinical purposes. Administration. GRAIL’s clinical laboratory is regulated under CLIA to perform high-complexity testing. The Galleri test is intended for clinical purposes.
Benefits of the MCED Test
- Find Cancers Early
- Simple Process
- Easy to Understand Results
Awards and Accreditations
St. Tammany Health System's Cancer Care program has earned recognition from groups including:
