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The cancer navigation program at Allegheny Health Network (AHN) supports all cancer patients from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.

Allegheny Health Network (AHN) stands out in the field of cancer care with its comprehensive navigation program — designed to provide every patient diagnosed with cancer within the network with personalized guidance and support throughout their entire journey.

“We’re the only network that has a program this robust,” says Karen Kern, RN, manager of navigation services at AHN. “Our goal is that every patient diagnosed with cancer within our network gets guidance from a navigator.”

Navigators play a crucial role in streamlining the often complex and overwhelming cancer care process, helping patients understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and potential side effects. AHN navigators are specialized in individual disease sites, including breast, lung, liver, and pancreatic cancers. This allows for tailored support and expertise specific to each patient’s unique situation.

AHN’s navigation program recognizes that cancer care extends beyond medical treatment and traditional nursing support. Financial counselors help patients understand their insurance benefits, coordinate payment plans, and explore financial assistance options. Social Workers provide emotional support, connect patients with behavioral health services, and offer practical assistance with household and living expenses. Patient navigators can even help with transportation assistance to appointments.

“Our navigators take patients throughout their whole entire journey,” Kern says. “With the program, we’ve seen improvement in patient satisfaction and compliance with appointments and treatments.”

The program’s reach extends beyond established cancer diagnoses as well. Navigators can guide patients with potential cancer concerns, ensuring they receive appropriate testing and referrals.

AHN’s cancer navigation program is a testament to the network’s commitment to providing comprehensive, patient-centered care. By offering a multidisciplinary team of experts, specialized support, and a focus on the whole patient, the program empowers individuals facing cancer to navigate their journey with confidence and achieve the best possible outcomes.

To refer a patient to AHN’s cancer navigation program, call 

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The Allegheny Health Network's comprehensive cancer navigation program supports all cancer patients from diagnosis to treatment and beyond. 

Navigating the Complexities of Cancer Care

The Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute (AHNCI) announced today that it has established one of the region’s first clinics dedicated to precision cancer medicine and has appointed nationally recognized medical oncologist Ariel Lopez-Chavez, MD, MS, to serve as director of the new clinic.

The AHNCI’s Precision Medicine and Developmental Therapeutics Clinic focuses on serving adults with metastatic solid tumors, and patients who may need 

 or are seeking novel treatment options for rare, complex, or advanced-stage cancers.

The clinic is based at the AHN Cancer Institute at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh’s North Side and offers both in-person and telemedicine appointments to patients.

Because every cancer patient has unique characteristics and preferences, a unique genetic profile, and because cancer is a dynamic, heterogeneous disease, precision therapies are considered the next frontier of cancer treatment. Precision oncology focuses on matching the most effective and tailored cancer therapies to the individual cancer patient, based on the patient’s unique profile, as well as genetic information from the cancer’s molecular signatures.

In support of the rapidly growing field of precision oncology, new types of therapies — such as target-based therapies, aimed at specific cancer genes and proteins — must also be developed to supplement more conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

“It’s an exciting time to join Allegheny Health Network’s Cancer Institute as we embrace new discoveries and apply innovative therapies to treat the most challenging cancer cases,” said Dr. Lopez-Chavez. “From the latest technologies in targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and cellular therapies, to the use of novel clinical algorithms and empowerment programs to guide and support patient care, the Precision Medicine and Developmental Therapeutics Clinic will provide cancer patients with access to treatments and interventions that are most likely to increase their chances of recovery.”

Dr. Lopez-Chavez is a medical oncologist certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, specializing in precision cancer medicine for patients with metastatic solid tumors whose cancer has progressed despite initial treatment or are seeking novel treatment options. Before joining AHNCI, he was a Medical Director and Global Head of Oncology Development Innovation at Genentech-Roche, one of the largest life sciences companies in the world and the worldwide leader in the development of innovative cancer medicines.

As director of the Precision Medicine and Developmental Therapeutics Clinic, Dr. Lopez-Chavez will lead an innovative program that offers cancer patients access to clinical research trials and novel technologies aimed at maximizing cancer recovery and improving their overall well-being.

Over the last two decades, Dr. Lopez-Chavez has collaborated with hundreds of physicians and scientists from all over the world to develop safer, more effective treatments for cancer. Many of his efforts have resulted in new FDA-approved treatments, allowing cancer patients to live significantly longer lives.

“The Precision Medicine and Developmental Therapeutics Clinic at AHN’s Cancer Institute was developed with the goal of providing patients with access to critical treatment options and interventions for their disease, which historically hasn’t always been an option in cancer care,” said David Bartlett, MD, Chair of the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute. “As a world-renowned expert in oncology, precision medicine, and precision health, Dr. Lopez-Chavez is a tremendous asset to the AHN Cancer Institute as we continue to strive to find the best treatment options for our patients.”

Dr. Lopez-Chavez has held positions at several top cancer centers in the United States, including the National Cancer Center in Bethesda, Maryland; the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health and Sciences University; the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami; and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was named one of the top five oncologists for exceptional customer service.

Telemedicine and in-office visits are available for cancer patients who are seeking the care of AHN clinicians. Call 

 (412-687-7348) and a cancer nurse will answer your questions, schedule an appointment, and provide support. Patients can also submit an 

AHN Cancer Institute Second Opinion Request Form

The Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute announced today that it has established one of the region’s first clinics dedicated to precision cancer medicine and has appointed nationally recognized medical oncologist Ariel Lopez-Chavez, MD, MS, to serve as director of the new clinic.

AHN Cancer Institute

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Navigating the Complexities of Cancer Care

New Precision Medicine and Developmental Therapeutics Cancer Clinic Opens at Allegheny General Hospital