How bariatric surgery restored a Rutherford mom's life
August 5, 2026
After years of struggling, Rutherford resident Larina lost over 200 pounds following bariatric surgery with Dr. Stephen Rich at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford.
Cancer care
Oncologists and care teams at Ascension Saint Thomas deliver compassionate, personalized cancer care focused on you
Cancer care in middle Tennessee
Cancer is personal — so is the way we care for you at Ascension Saint Thomas
About cancer care at Ascension Saint Thomas
A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. At Ascension Saint Thomas in Middle Tennessee, you are not alone. After your diagnosis, you’ll meet with a multidisciplinary cancer care team, including a care navigator. We’ll personalize a care plan with the goal of helping you return to your daily life.
At Ascension Saint Thomas, your care team is part of a national network of cancer specialists, sharing best practices and the latest advancements in cancer care knowledge and research — bringing advanced cancer care close to home.
When it comes to cancer care, you deserve support for your whole health. At Ascension Saint Thomas, your care includes not only treatment, but also personalized support services, care coordination and survivorship programs.
Multidisciplinary cancer care team
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy and advanced targeted drug therapy
- Clinical trials
- Support programs and resources
- Breast reconstruction and reshaping
- Endoscopic procedures for head, neck and GI cancers
- Robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery
- Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery
- Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)
- Precision radiation therapy
- Radiation therapy
Multidisciplinary cancer care team
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy and advanced targeted drug therapy
- Clinical trials
- Support programs and resources
- Breast reconstruction and reshaping
- Endoscopic procedures for head, neck and GI cancers
- Robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery
- Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery
- Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)
- Precision radiation therapy
- Radiation therapy
Get a second opinion on your cancer diagnosis or care plan
Get the confidence and peace of mind that your doctor and care plan are right for you. It's easy to get a second opinion at Ascension Saint Thomas. We can review your medical records and healthcare history to answer your questions and discuss options.
When you’re facing a new cancer diagnosis or deciding on a surgical or therapeutic treatment plan, there’s a lot to think about. Our cancer specialists can provide a second opinion, based on our experience and as part of a national team.
Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records on your behalf, so they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.
Benefits of our cancer care approach
When you come to cancer centers and clinics at Ascension Saint Thomas, oncologists and multidisciplinary care teams deliver comprehensive, innovative and personalized oncology care for the whole you, including your emotional health.
- Compassionate medical oncology: Your cancer specialists and care teams work together to deliver customized medication therapies (chemotherapy and other medications) to help target cancer cells that grow and divide quickly.
- Multidisciplinary care teams are dedicated to your care: Your care team includes a care navigator and cancer specialists. And your specialists are part of a national team, sharing best practices to help find the best possible way to treat your type of cancer – from simple to complex and rare cancers.
- Experienced surgical oncologists and care teams: Advanced surgical techniques, including minimally invasive robotic surgery, are used to remove as much cancer as possible while saving healthy tissue.
- Precision radiation therapy: We deliver high-tech radiation therapy and targeted treatment options for many types of cancer, delivered by highly trained radiation oncology specialists.
- Clinical trials: If you want to learn more about other possible cancer care options, talk to your doctor. You may want to ask whether cancer clinical trials are the right option for you.
- Genetic cancer screening, testing and counseling: Genetic tests can help you and your doctor better understand your risk for certain types of cancer. Ask your doctor about genetic testing and counseling to better understand your risk for developing cancer. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, your doctor may recommend genetic pathology tests to help identify genetic changes in cancer cells and tumor growth.
- Support programs and resources: Your cancer care team provides support from registered dietitians, nurse navigators and social workers. And, at Ascension Saint Thomas sites of care, our healing gardens and chapels are always open to patients and your loved ones. We also offer support groups and cancer wellness activities for the whole you.
Featured locations
Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford
1700 Medical Center Pkwy
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown Cancer Center
2004 Hayes St.
Nashville, TN 37203
Ascension Saint Thomas West
4220 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN 37205
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or call 911.
All registered marks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Stories you'll love
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To fulfill an Ascension Living Alexian Village Tennessee resident’s dying wish, activities coordinator Amber Beam brought the New York Metropolitan Opera to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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After two decades of seeking care for her heart symptoms, a referral to the Women's Heart Center at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart in Nashville, TN, gives a great-grandmother more time to enjoy her growing family.
Neck pain helped local business owner find cancer early
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Dr. Robert Rampp, general and endocrine surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, helped a Murfreesboro native detect thyroid cancer and saved his life.
Couple received life changing care
December 31, 2025
A Lascassas, Tenn., couple received a heart bypass and kidney transplant at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West on the same day, then recovered and went home together.
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After years of struggling with her weight, Stephanie turned to Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro for bariatric surgery that changed her life.
Middle Tennessee man’s life with 115 lbs. weight loss
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In 2024, Dr. Stephen Rich, helps a patient with his bariatric journey at the Ascension Saint Thomas Bariatric Center.
Lung scan saves Nashville man’s life
November 17, 2025
A routine lung scan at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville revealed a hidden tumor in 63-year-old Greg Hall, leading to life-saving treatment and recovery.
Bariatric surgery transforms Murfreesboro woman's life
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After undergoing bariatric surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, Ellen regained the energy to fully enjoy life again.
Routine lung scan saves Murfreesboro woman’s life
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Using advanced ION robotic technology, the care team at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford helped a Murfreesboro resident detect and treat lung cancer early.
In June 2016, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee resident Sharon Nowlin began her fight against ovarian cancer with Ascension Saint Thomas and Tennessee Oncology doctors Johnetta Blakley and Alpa Nick in Middle Tennessee.
Now 27, Morgan reflects on her journey with breast cancer and the care she received at the Ascension Saint Thomas Women’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Joint surgery helps Nashville horsewoman get back in the saddle
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With the help of the Ascension Saint Thomas Joint Replacement Institute, a Nashville woman overcame joint pain and is now thriving on the set of ABC’s 9-1-1 Nashville.
General surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford helps patient heal after misdiagnosis
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Dr. Mark Manwaring, colon and rectal surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee helps a patient find answers to symptoms that suggest Crohn’s disease.
If incidents occur this Fourth of July, knowing where and when to get immediate and emergency care is important.
Four summer activities that often lead to injuries
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After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2023, a Nashville resident turned to Ascension Saint Thomas West, where expert urologists Dr. Adnan Dervishi and Dr. Mark Sittig provided advanced prostate cancer care.
Over a decade later, Saint Thomas is relaunching the Nothing Shall Be Impossible campaign rooted in faith, driven by medical excellence, and growing to meet the needs of tomorrow.
Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville, TN, quickly responds to patients experiencing strokes and provides neurology and rehabilitation care to help with recovery.
In January 2024, longtime CNA discovered she had an ischemic stroke, and Dr. Lani Thomas performed a life-saving thrombectomy at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, TN.
Dr. Bobby Rampp, general surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, performed robotic bilateral hernia surgery to relieve a former Foundation board member’s severe abdominal symptoms.
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Dr. Robert Rampp, an endocrine surgeon with Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, helped treat a mother of three who found a thyroid nodule during a routine MRI.
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Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West performs first robotic tracheobronchoplasty in Tennessee
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Thoracic surgeon Dr. John Lazar at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, Tennessee treated a patient’s severe airway condition with a robotic-assisted tracheobronchoplasty.
Legendary musician credits Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West for life-saving cardiac surgery
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Middle Tennessee mother completes her treatment for ovarian cancer
September 26, 2024
Dr. Jason Barnett, a gynecologic oncologist at Tennessee Oncology, helped treat a mother of two with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer that had spread to other parts of her body while receiving care at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown.
John Spooner, MD, neurosurgeon at Howell Allen Clinic with Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, TN, helps a grandmother with a large brain aneurysm get back to creating art.
Lung cancer teams at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville, TN, perform Ion robotic bronchoscopy and resection for the first time in hospital history.
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Nashville woman donates kidney to her husband
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