Bill Smith, 66 of St. John, was never a smoker. However, due to the HPV virus, the Lake Central Basketball Coach developed throat cancer in December 2018.
Bill saw Dr. Neel Shah at Northwest Cancer Center as a second opinion after going to downtown. Dr. Shah was recommended since he had done his fellowship at Rush. The doctors at Rush recommended surgery, but Dr. Shah disagreed. After a conference call between both groups of physicians, Dr. Shah remained firm that surgery wasn’t necessary.
“Dr. Shah said, ‘if you were my dad, this is how I would treat him’ and made me feel comfortable,” said Bill. “It was much more convenient to have my chemotherapy at Northwest Cancer Center than to travel to Chicago.”
“Our doctors are always up to date on the newest cancer care. We have access to nationwide clinical trials so we can offer the newest treatments that aren’t on the market yet,” Dr. Kassar explained. “We were the first group in Northwest Indiana to introduce biologic and immune therapies, offering them as clinical trials before they became the standard of care.”
Patients confirm that being treated locally has made a big difference in their prognosis and overall well-being. With a goal of high-quality, state-of-the-art personalized care, it’s clear that Dr. Kassar and all the physicians and staff at Northwest Cancer Center are dedicated and passionate about their patients; making them their number one priority.
