Benefits of Referring Patients to RMCC

This means that we have the freedom to make the care decisions that benefit our patients and their families – not health systems.

• RMCC providers have a combined 150+ years of experience.
• There are more than 500 clinical trials available to your patients.
• We provide our physicians’ cell phone numbers to referring providers so that you can easily reach us by phone with any questions or urgent cases.

We are committed to providing unmatched quality care while keeping patients’ cancer costs low. We achieve this through our participation in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid’s Oncology Care Model. For every dollar spent in the office of an independent oncologist, it’s estimated by the federal government the spend will be $1.80 with an oncologist employed by a hospital system. It doesn’t mean you receive lesser care at RMCC. It means patients receive the very best care that happens to be at a better price. We decrease the total cost of cancer care by:

• Utilizing fiscally responsible drug strategies.
• We have our own pharmacy with staff that specializes in oral oncolytics.
• We offer diagnostic imaging services.
• Utilizing Navigating Care; a remote symptom, side-effect, and medication management system.
• As a member of The US Oncology Network, our physicians maintain their independence, but get the support of a management company that has deep expertise in oncology practice management and value-based care delivery.

• Communicating and coordinating care with all providers.
• Measuring patient satisfaction and creating ongoing strategies to improve the patient experience.
• Providing pain assessment and management.
• Offering additional patient support services (financial, clinical, nutrition, weight loss, smoking cessation).

Value Pathways powered by NCCN™ (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) are treatment pathways that highlight evidence-based treatment options based on efficacy, toxicity and an evaluation of financial impact to patient and payer (Medicare reimbursement). The pathways are a refinement of the NCCN Guidelines and the result of combined efforts through a collaboration between three organizations: NCCN, McKesson and The US Oncology Network. Value Pathways powered by NCCN is a shorter, distilled list of treatment choices that support the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective patient care.

Female Breast Cancer 

Age 40 to 74: Patient should be screened with an annual mammogram.
Age 75 and over: Patients should continue with mammograms if their overall health is good, and they have a life expectancy of 10 or more years.

The American Cancer Society recommends against MRI screening for women whose lifetime risk of breast cancer is less than 15%.

High Risk: Women who are at high risk for breast cancer should get a breast MRI and a mammogram annually, typically starting 10 years prior to the earliest breast cancer diagnosis in the family.  

Risk factors include:

•  A lifetime risk of breast cancer of about 20% or greater, according to risk assessment tools that are based mainly on family history (e.g., Tyrer Cuzick) 
•  A known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation (based on having had genetic testing) or other genetic predisposition for breast cancer
• A first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, but patient has not had genetic testing themselves
• Previous radiation therapy to the chest when they were between the ages of 10 and 30 years

Colorectal Cancer Screening 

Age 21: Testing may be recommended for patients with a higher-than-average risk for colon cancer.
Age 45 to 75: People at average risk (in good health and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years) should have regular colorectal cancer screenings.
Age 76 to 85: The decision to be screened should be based on patient preference, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history.
Age 86 and over: Colorectal cancer screenings are no longer required.

High Risk: People who are at an increased or high risk for colorectal cancer might need to start screening before age 45, be screened more often, and/or get specific tests.

Risk factors include:

• A personal history or a strong family history of colorectal cancer or certain types of polyps
• A personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
• A known family history of a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)  or Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer or HNPCC)
• A personal history of radiation to the abdomen (belly) or pelvic area to re-treat a prior cancer

Stool-Based Tests

• Highly sensitive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year
• Highly sensitive guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) every year
• Multitarget stool DNA test (mt-sDNA) every three years

Visual (Structural) Exams of the Colon and Rectum

• Colonoscopy every 10 years for average risk; more frequently based on personal and family history or if pathology is identified
• CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every five years; more frequently if pathology identified
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSIG) every five years; more frequently if pathology identified

Lung Cancer Screening

Age 50 to 80: An annual lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT scan is recommended for patients who:

• Are in fairly good health
• Are a current or former smoker
• Have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history

Prostate Cancer Screening

Age 40 to 49: No screening needed unless high risk.
Age 50 to 69: Screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test should be considered for average-risk patients. The decision to screen with a PSA should be based on patient preference, family history, and current health.
Age 70 and over OR any man with less than 10 to 15  years life expectancy Screenings are no longer required.

High Risk: Screening with a PSA should be considered for high-risk populations and African Americans with a positive family history starting at age 40.

Risk factors include:

• Men with a first-degree relative (father or brother) who had prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65)
• Men with a genetic predisposition for prostate cancer (BRCA1/2 positive or other genes)

Cervical Cancer Screening

Younger than 21: No screening needed.
Age 21 to 29: Cytology (PAP) once every three years.
Age 30 to 65: Women should have an HPV test every five years, a PAP every three years, or HPV/PAP co-test every five years.
Age 65 and Older: No screening needed if a series of prior tests were normal. 

Pancreatic Cancer Screening

High Risk: Patients who are considered high risk should have an MRI/MRCP and/or endoscopic ultrasound annually, starting at age 50 (or 10 years prior to the earliest diagnosis in the family). 

Risk factors include:

• Certain gene mutations such as ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2,  PALB2 mutation, and others
• Family history of pancreatic cancer in two or more  first-degree relatives
• Family history of pancreatic cancer in three or more first and/or second-degree relatives