Baptist Health Paducah opens region’s first Cancer Risk Management Clinic

The Baptist Health Cancer Risk Management Clinic serves individuals with a higher risk of developing cancer through unique preventative care.

Paducah, KY (Dec. 28, 2022) — Baptist Health Paducah continues to lead the region in cancer care by opening the region’s first Cancer Risk Management Clinic. This clinic serves individuals with a higher risk of developing cancer through unique preventive care. The clinic is currently accepting patients and located in the Ray & Kay Eckstein Regional Cancer Care Center at Baptist Health Paducah.

“The goal of the Cancer Risk Management Clinic is to decrease the occurrence of cancer in our community by identifying cancers that may be caused by inherited genes” said Erika Jordan, Nurse Practitioner, Hematology/Oncology. “Myself, along with the entire staff, are excited to offer this service to our community because it gives patients the power to possibly save their life as well as the lives of their children.”

The Baptist Health Cancer Risk Management Clinic is for individuals who have a strong family history of cancer, or a specific personal health history that may put them at an increased risk for certain cancers. It offers interventions and increased screening options that could address the increased risk. Most often, patients will begin this journey by meeting with the Baptist Health genetic counselor, who will perform a risk assessment and genetic testing to ensure the patient and their doctors make more informed decisions.

Along with a genetic counselor, the clinic consists of physicians, nurse practitioners and other medical staff to create a multidisciplinary team that provides appropriate care, education and access to preventative services. When visiting the clinic, each patient can expect a personalized review of completed risk assessments, education and counseling regarding risk-reducing interventions and coordination of increased screenings as needed.

The criteria below outlines those who need a risk assessment:

• A personal or family history of breast, colon or uterine cancer diagnosed before the age of 50
• A personal or family history of ovarian, pancreatic or metastatic prostate cancer
• Multiple relative diagnosed with the same type of cancer
• Genetic mutation indicating increased lifetime risk for cancer
• An elevated lifetime risk identified by breast imaging

Atypical hyperplasia of the breast

If you or a loved one answered, “yes” to any of the statements above, talk to a primary care provider about the Baptist Health Cancer Risk Management Clinic and request a referral to see the genetic counselor. 

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About Baptist Health Paducah

Baptist Health Paducah is a regional medical and referral center serving about 200,000 patients a year from four states. With more than 1,700 employees and 260 physicians, it offers 35 points of care with a full range of services, including cardiac and cancer care, diagnostic imaging, women’s and children’s services, surgery, emergency treatment, rehabilitation, and more. It has the region’s first heart center and only accredited chest pain center and certified stroke center with 24/7 neurohospitalist coverage, as well as Paducah’s only comprehensive cancer center and Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care unit. Baptist Health Paducah has a network of healthcare providers for patients in western Kentucky and southern Illinois — from Baptist Health Medical Group physician offices to Baptist Health Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine locations.

The hospital is also designated Pathway to Excellence® for excellence in nursing services by the American Nursing Credentialing Center. It opened in 1953 as Western Baptist Hospital and changed its name in early 2013, along with other facilities in Baptist Health, the largest not-for-profit healthcare systems in Kentucky. Learn more at BaptistHealth.com/Paducah.