What to expect when visiting Medical Oncology...

When You Arrive

• The doctor sees patients on an appointment basis. 
• Registration is required.  See below for office locations and details.
• Wheelchairs are available in the lobbies at all locations for patients who need assistance. 
• A free parking valet is available to our patients who need assistance at our Northside Hospital campus.
• At our Trumbull Memorial Hospital campus, an attendant is available to escort patients needing wheelchairs to the receptionist’s desk. This allows the family member or friend to park their car without worrying about leaving their loved one alone in the hospital.
• Offices are located at:
• Northside Medical Center

Regional Referral Center

500 Gypsy Lane

Youngstown, Ohio44501

• Medical Oncology (Chemotherapy) is located on the first floor

Phone:330-884-4175

Fax:330-884-0509

• Trumbull Memorial Hospital

1350 E. Market Street

Warren, Ohio44481

• Medical Oncology (Chemotherapy) is located on the first floor. Ask the information desk in the main lobby for directions when you arrive.

Phone:330-841-9376

• When you arrive for your appointment, please check in with the receptionist. 
• If you are ever left to wait more than 20 minutes, please check back with the receptionist.  We try to adhere to scheduled visit times, but emergencies may delay the doctor's schedule.  We apologize if this should happen and want you to know we respect your time and value you as our patient.

After you see the Doctor

• After you have seen the doctor, you will probably be directed to a waiting area to have bloodwork drawn. The doctor may also order x-rays or scans to be completed.Some x-rays require an appointment be made with the Medical Imaging Department while others do not. Our staff will help you to determine which type of x-rays you require and help you schedule them as necessary.
• Blood work results can take anywhere from several hours to several days to report. X-ray reports can take up to a week.Ask the staff member helping you with your blood work and x-rays when it would be best to call for results. Otherwise, your doctor will review your results with you when you return.
• Your return appointment will be scheduled before you leave. Stop and see the receptionist before you leave the department to schedule your return appointment.

·Some patients may be eligible to participate in Clinical Trials. Your doctor will inform you of this option if you are eligible.

·FOLLOW-UP AFTER TREATMENT:After you have completed treatment, your doctor will continue to monitor your health. Follow-up visits may be closer together at first, and then become further apart as you continue to do well.

What is Chemotherapy and Biotherapy?

·Chemotherapy is a treatment frequently used to treat cancer. Chemotherapy can keep cancer from spreading, slows tumor growth or relieve cancer symptoms.

·Chemotherapy drugs are administered in several ways.  Most of the drugs are given directly into the blood stream.  Some drugs can be given by mouth or injection. 

·Patients sometimes believe that all patients receive the same chemotherapy drug.  This is not true.  Chemotherapy consists of more than 50 types of drugs. Your doctor will select the drug(s) that he/she feels will be most beneficial against your type of cancer. The time frame in administering drugs varies from patient to patient

How Does Chemotherapy Work?

·Chemotherapy works by destroying cells that divide very fast.

·Unfortunately, there are healthy cells that live in your body that also divide very fast and the chemotherapy cannot tell the difference. As a result, some of the normal, healthy cells that live in your body may also be destroyed by chemotherapy.

·Healthy cells can repair and replace themselves, but until they do you can experience side effects from treatment because of their disruption. These side effects will be reviewed with you by your doctor or nurse once the drugs have been selected by your doctor.

What Is the Difference Between Chemotherapy and Biotherapy?

·Chemotherapy destroys both cancerous and normal cells when it is in your body. Biotherapy is a newer way of attacking just the cancer cells.

·Biotherapy is smarter than chemotherapy and does a better job of picking out the cancerous cells for destruction and leaving the normal cells alone. This greatly reduces the side effects that you would experience from regular chemotherapy.

·Biotherapies also have side effects. Possible side effects will be reviewed with you by your doctor or nurse if a biotherapy drug is selected for you. Remember that biotherapy is relatively new and only a handful of biotherapy drugs are available for only a few types of cancer. Your type of cancer may not be suitable to receive biotherapy drugs. Your doctor will determine the best treatment for your disease.

Our mission is to provide you and your family with the highest quality of care, education and support. Our experienced health care team carries out our mission with compassion and according to nationally recognized standards. The physicians are board-certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, Oncology, and Palliative Medicine. Our oncology certified registered nurses along with licensed and registered medical assistants, dieticians, social workers and chaplains provide a full scope of care and services. The clerical staff will help provide valuable information regarding insurance, billing, appointments and registration. We are affiliated with national cooperative research groups and university-based medical care. We provide education as well as an opportunity for participation during all phases of care.

Referral from your primary care physician is required.