Reducing cancer in our community

By 2025, cancer is projected to be the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Reducing the incidence of cancer in our region is part of the St. Charles Health System vision: Creating America's healthiest community, together.

Two of the Cancer Center’s key strategies toward reducing the impact of cancer in our communities are 1) preventing cancer from developing and 2) diagnosing cancers earlier. We have greatly expanded our prevention and early detection programs.

Prevention

Prevention and early detection:

  • Cancer education - Educational programs on cancer prevention and screening guidelines are available for health fairs, businesses, schools and community groups. Contact the cancer center for information and to schedule a presentation.
  • High Risk Breast Clinic - A collaborative between St. Charles Cancer Center and Central Oregon Radiology to provide women with an increased risk of developing breast cancer with education regarding lifestyle risk reduction strategies, genetic counseling, and more vigilant screening strategies. 
  • Mammothon Program - Provides no cost screening mammograms to uninsured patients. Please call 541-706-6729 for further information.
  • ScreenWise - Breast and Cervical Cancer (BCC) screening services help low-income, uninsured and medically under-served women gain access to lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screening services. Please call 541-706-6729 for further information.
  • Genetic screening
  • Pathfinder 2 Study - The Pathfinder 2 Study looks at how well a new test called Galleri can find cancers early. Galleri is designed to find many types of cancer using a simple blood test. Right now, this test is still being studied and has not been approved or cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is still important to follow your health care provider’s recommendations about cancer screening tests, such as colonoscopies or mammograms. En Espanol.
  • Lung Cancer Screening - St. Charles Cancer Center partners with Central Oregon Radiology to provide screening for high risk patients. 
  • Pulmonary Nodule Clinic - St. Charles Cancer Center partners with Central Oregon Radiology to provide personalized follow-up for lung nodules identified on imaging studies.
  • Skin cancer screening - The St. Charles Cancer Center partners with the Deschutes County Health Department and local dermatologists to periodically provide community skin cancer screening. Watch the St. Charles Health System Facebook page for details.
  • HPV - Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can cause cancer. The HPV vaccine prevents infection from the most harmful kinds of HPV. Download HPV brochure.
  • Colorectal cancer screening - Please contact your provider regarding colorectal cancer screenings.