Franciscan Health Olympia Fields Expands Comprehensive Cancer Institute Medical Staff

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Illinois - The Patricia A. Joyce Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields is expanding its distinguished medical staff as it strives to fulfill its mission to bring university-level oncology care to Chicago's Southland.

Radiation oncologist, Andrew Cook, MD, and board-certified breast surgeon, Diane Drugas, MD, are the newest members of the Comprehensive Cancer Institute team.

Dr. Cook, who served his residency at the prestigious Henry Ford Medical Center in Detroit, treats a wide range of cancers, including gynecologic, prostate, lung, spine, liver and pancreas.

"Radiation treatment technologies are advancing very rapidly, including the new equipment coming soon to Franciscan Health, and they're able to target cancers much more precisely and reduce side effects," Dr. Cook said. "We can also play a role with the new medical oncology medications to give patients the best outcomes using both radiation and these new immunomodulatory drugs."

Coming to the Comprehensive Cancer Institute is a homecoming of sorts for Dr. Cook, who was born at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields and was raised in Frankfort.

"I really wanted to come home," Dr. Cook said. "This allows me to serve the community where I grew up."

Most specifically, Dr. Cook is looking forward to serving Southland patients at a critical time in their lives.

"Each patient is completely different," Dr. Cook said. "I really like to sit down with patients, fully understand their needs, and take a tailored approach to care based on their values to deliver the standard of care. That's how I try to approach every single patient."

The Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields brings together cancer specialists and a full range of cancer-eradicating technologies in one location to help patients fight cancer. It takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists.

Dr. Drugas was drawn to the Comprehensive Cancer Institute by its multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer care.

"I believe it's important for those with breast cancer to be cared for by a multidisciplinary team like the team at the Franciscan Health Breast Health and Wellness Center in Olympia Fields," said Dr. Drugas, who has been in practice for 31 years. "Over the years, we've learned much about the biology of breast cancer. Consequently, care has become more and more complex. It really requires the collaboration of experts to deliver the best outcomes."

This multidisciplinary approach also helped the Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Franciscan Health recently earn a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Cancer, a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. The Breast Health and Wellness Center is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), another American College of Surgeons quality program.

"This collaboration and combination of expertise leads to excellent outcomes," Dr. Drugas said. "We consider patients' values, their backgrounds, and their personal preferences when we design customized treatment plans."

The Patricia A. Joyce Comprehensive Cancer Institute is located at 3900 West 203rd Street, on the Franciscan Health Olympia Fields campus.