BayCare has introduced a new High Risk Cancer Program aimed at identifying individuals at greater risk for cancer earlier, as part of its efforts during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The program is the first of its kind in West Central Florida and neighboring regions, providing personalized plans for prevention and early detection.
Patients can access the program by completing an online cancer risk assessment survey, which evaluates risk factors for nine types of cancer: breast, colorectal, endometrial, gastric, kidney, lung, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate. The survey takes about five minutes to complete.
Peter Blumencranz, MD, medical director of the BayCare Cancer Institute and former breast surgeon at The Comprehensive Breast Center at Morton Plant Hospital said: “So often when the patients come to us, their cancers are advanced. But through our High Risk Cancer Program, we can identify those who are at a higher risk for cancer much earlier and begin to monitor their health.”
The team also includes Tim McMahon, director of the BayCare Cancer Institute with experience as a registered nurse in oncology care; and Erika Oschmann, APRN, who oversees the assessment program. Currently based in Powell Pavilion on Morton Plant Hospital’s campus in Clearwater, there are plans to expand locations to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and Winter Haven Hospital.
McMahon stated: “Our goal is to find patients who are at risk of cancer even before they are diagnosed. We want to identify the high-risk patients earlier and have them start screening protocols earlier. Our hope is that with earlier detection, their treatment options will be less invasive.”
The online assessment tool is provided exclusively by CancerIQ for BayCare’s use in West Central Florida. It targets people aged 24–45 with family histories of cancer who may not be included under standard screening guidelines. Other groups include high-risk individuals over 45 who might require more frequent screenings and members of the African American community due to higher mortality rates and shorter survival times after diagnosis compared with other groups.
After being identified as high risk via the survey, patients will be contacted by Oschmann regarding next steps.
McMahon added: “We think this proactive approach will surely help people learn so much about their health and how to control their cancer risk.”
More information about BayCare’s oncology services can be found on its website Oncology Services at BayCare.
