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Programs & Services
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Cancer Care

Cancer Care

Contact Information

General Information
Phone (905) 895-4521

Community Cancer Clinic
Phone (905) 895-4521 extension 2460

In-Patient Cancer Care Unit
Phone (905) 895-4521 extension 2515

Clinical Trials
Phone (905) 895-4521 extension 2297

Look Good … Feel Better® Program
Phone (905) 830-0447
Location: 665A Davis Drive - Newmarket

Cancer Care Program

On January 22, 2004, The Honourable George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, officially confirmed his government's support to commit up to $2 Million to assist Southlake with costs to design and plan for a regional cancer centre. To learn more, please click here.

Southlake's existing Cancer Care Program provides a range of oncology services dedicated to supporting patients and their families through diagnosis and treatment. They include:

Community Cancer Clinic
In-patient Cancer Care Unit
Clinical Trials
Look Good…Feel Better Program®

In addition to our physicians who specialize in cancer treatment (i.e., full time oncologist and haematologist), the program's nurses, technicians, therapists and other professional support staff provide compassionate and individualized care, with an emphasis on involving patients in their own treatment plans. Several of the program's registered nurses have achieved their Canadian Oncology certificate. The Canadian Nurses Association recognizes this specialization as the highest academic achievement for oncology nurses.

The program is also supported by a group of dedicated volunteers who are trained in providing companionship and emotional support.

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Community Cancer Clinic

This outpatient clinic requires a physician's referral and offers the following services close to home for cancer patients:

a pre-chemotherapy teaching program, which allows patients to meet on an individual basis with a registered nurse who explains the chemotherapy drugs, possible side effects, scheduling dates and any other cancer-related questions
personal time with an oncologist at each treatment visit to review the patient's progress and to answer any questions
chemotherapy administration
blood transfusions
referral to a social worker, if counseling is required
referral to the Community Care Access Centre (home care support services), if required.

Patients are encouraged to involve a support person or family member during the treatment process.

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Cancer Care In-Patient Unit

When hospitalization is required for chemotherapy treatment or cancer-related complications, patients are admitted to the program's inpatient unit. Palliative Care patients are dispersed throughout the unit. We offer a home-like environment that includes access to a large patient/family lounge, kitchen facilities, and a quiet room. The focus is on maximizing the quality of life and ensuring the dignity of the patient and the family throughout the terminal disease process. Cots for overnight stays are provided for family members who wish to stay with their loved ones and pets are welcome to visit.

Clinical Trials

What are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are controlled research studies or experiments that test newly developed procedures, drugs or equipment on consenting individuals, usually patients, who have been diagnosed with a serious health condition or disease such as cancer.

They are an important part in the discovery of new medical advancements that can result in longer or improved quality of life for many people.

Fact: Each year, an average of 40 to 50 cancer patients are enrolled into one of ten active studies being performed within Southlake Regional Health Centre's Cancer Care Program.

Phases of Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are usually conducted in three phases. Each phase has a different purpose in the research process:

Phase I	the first step involves testing a new treatment (e.g., drug) for the first time on a small group of people to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and to identify possible side effects.
Phase II	usually focuses on a particular type of cancer (e.g., tumor activity). It continues to test the safety of the treatment and begins to evaluate how well it works (e.g., reduced tumor size, side effects, etc.)
Phase III	the trial treatment is given to a larger number of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, and to compare it to commonly used treatments. During this phase, participants are randomly (i.e., by chance) assigned to receive either the trial treatment or a placebo (an inactive pill, liquid or powder). Randomizing patients allows the researchers to compare individuals with the same type of cancer while taking different treatments to better determine which treatments are better and have fewer side effects.

Fact: The Cancer Care Program at Southlake currently participates in a number of Phase III clinical trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) and a small number of Phase II trials.

To access additional information on clinical trials, please visit the Ontario Cancer Research Network at www.ocrn.ca/

Clinical Trials Team
Our clinical trials team consists of a full-time registered nurse who is supported by an oncologist, haematologist and clerical assistant.

Responsibilities of the Registered Nurse:
The Clinical Trials Registered Nurse's primary role is to act as an advocate for the cancer patients who have given their consent to participate in a clinical trial. She (or he) provides education to them on their trailed treatment and their rights during the trial, monitors their progress throughout the trial, and is available at any time to answer questions or concerns. In addition, she coordinates all trial related activities such as the selection, assessment, and randomization of eligible patients, maintaining and submitting documentation, and meeting regulatory guidelines and standards.

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Look Good.Feel Better^® Program

Look Good.Feel Better^® is a free, national public-service program dedicated to helping women living with cancer learn cosmetic techniques to help disguise the appearance-related side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The Newmarket-based program is offered jointly by Southlake Regional Health Centre and the Canadian Cancer Society.

Southlake's Regional Cancer Centre gets government go ahead

Webcast... government announcement September 29 for Southlake Regional Cancer Centre

Southlake Regional Cancer Centre

How You Can Help...... Southlake One Step Closer To Building Regional Cancer Centre

$8 Million Contribution To Create Stronach Regional Cancer Centre - Magna Building

For information on resources available to you during your hospital visit or stay (for example: parking, what to bring, discharge times and other helpful information) please click on Patients and Visitors.

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