Cancer Care

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Dr. Adamo's Personal Statement

My passion for oncology started as a young child; five years old, to be exact. I recall standing in my parents' bedroom one Sunday morning asking my mom where my father was. He had been gone from home for a couple of days, which was very unusual. After constant pleading and questioning, my mom finally told me that my dad was in the hospital.

My grandparents took me to visit a few days later and I remember seeing him in bed looking very frail and weak. I vividly remember the shock I felt because he was drastically different than the way I had ever seen him. On the drive home, my grandparents told me that my father had testicular cancer. They explained his illness to me in the best way a five-year-old could understand. With treatment and recovery, he survived his disease. This experience made a strong impression on me. After my own health journey in 2003 that led me into the field of medicine, this memory carved out my desire to specialize in the field of oncology.

In February of 2021, my father was diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer. This diagnosis, in combination with kidney failure, was a difficult and painful journey not only for him, but for my entire family. My poor father suffered with tremendous pain for months before he was accurately diagnosed. Once he was diagnosed, the severity of his condition was dismissed and he didn't receive the appropriate care. Before long, treatment options were limited and eventually ineffective. From the beginning of his diagnosis, through his treatment, until the very end, I was his strongest advocate concerning his medical care. This experience has strengthened me as a clinician and has inspired me to provide the same level of advocacy for my patients who need it.

I am passionate about the work I do. Being a doctor is not just my job or career, it’s my ministry. It gives me great pleasure to support those with a difficult diagnosis in every stage of their journey.

Welcome

For patients who are local to San Diego, Dr. Adamo sees patients for both telemedicine and in-office visits. For patients who are not in driving distance to San Diego, she offers telemedicine appointments via video or phone.

The care she provides is multi-faceted. She meets patients at all different phases of their treatment and works with each individual based on his/her specific needs.

How we work with you

If you've recently been diagnosed:

Dr. Adamo will walk with you from the beginning to the end of your journey. Once you have met with your oncologist and a treatment plan has been established, she will meet with you for a 60-minute integrative oncology consultation. This consultation will start with Dr. Adamo’s careful review of your medical records, imaging reports, labs, medications, and supplements. She will educate you about your diagnosis and treatment plan. Based on your labs and current signs and symptoms, she may prescribe natural supplements and/or custom herbs to rectify deficiencies in the body that are either giving rise to the disease or happening as a result of the disease.

All forms of conventional treatment (i.e. chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, and surgery) have side effects. Dr. Adamo will review these side effects with you and develop a plan to help mitigate and/or minimize the side-effects. She will also spend a good portion of time talking to you about diet and nutrition. She will provide you with a cancer specific nutrition plan that can assist you in receiving optimal nutrition while you are going through treatment.

If you've already started treatment for cancer...

Dr. Adamo will meet with you for an integrative oncology consultation and will learn of the signs, symptoms, and side effects you are currently experiencing. She will develop a treatment plan to address these complaints and improve your quality of life. In addition, she will review your most recent set of labs in an effort to increase your immunity and improve your blood chemistry. She will also review your current medications and supplements in order to minimize your risk of interaction with conventional treatment. Her treatment plan may include natural supplements, custom herbs, food therapy, and/or acupuncture. She will talk to you about your diet and provide you with a cancer-specific nutrition plan that is appropriate for your phase of treatment while taking into account your personal needs.

If you’ve recently been scheduled for surgery or have had surgery...

Dr. Adamo will meet with you for an integrative oncology consultation and will review your current medical records, imaging reports, labs, medications, and supplements. She will help improve your immunity and blood chemistry before and after surgery and may prescribe natural supplements, custom herbs, and food therapy. With the use of acupuncture, she will help you prepare for surgery, both emotionally and physically. In addition, she will work to minimize inflammation around the surgical site and expedite your healing process.

If you've finished treatment for cancer...

If you’ve recently been scheduled for surgery or have had surgery...

Dr. Adamo will meet with you for a consultation and will review your current medical records, labs, medications, and supplements. Based on your recovery from treatment and general constitution, she may prescribe a detox program specific to chemotherapy and/or radiation. At the same time, she will treat any lingering side effects from chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and/or surgery. She will work to increase your immunity and improve your blood chemistry. Finally, she will develop a survivorship plan for you to help keep you healthy and minimize the risk of disease recurrence.

If you've started on palliative or hospice care

If you’ve chosen against or are not a candidate for Conventional Cancer Treatment...

Dr. Adamo will meet with you for a consultation to learn of the signs, symptoms, and side effects you are currently experiencing. She will develop a treatment plan to address these complaints and improve your quality of life. She may prescribe nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, acupuncture, and/or home remedies that will support your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual body.

If you’ve chosen against or are not a candidate for Conventional Cancer Treatment...

Dr. Adamo will meet with you for a consultation and will review your current medical records, imaging reports, labs, medications, and supplements. She will learn of your current signs and symptoms and develop a plan to minimize these complaints. She will work to increase your immunity and balance your blood chemistry. With the use of natural supplements, custom herbs, nutrition, and acupuncture, she will enhance your quality of life and support all aspects of your health.