Systemic Therapy Program
The Systemic Therapy Program treats adult and pediatric cancer patients locally and adult patients closer to home through our 12 Community Oncology Clinic Network (COCN) sites located throughout Northeastern Ontario. The pediatric clinic is a satellite of the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO).
Chemotherapy treatment uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, infusion, or on the skin depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses your own body’s immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy is not chemotherapy.
Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to precisely identify and attack certain types of cancer cells.
Chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy can be used by themselves or in combination with other treatments, such as traditional or standard chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation.
Systemic treatments are given in repeating cycles. The length of a cycle depends on the treatment being given. Most cycles range from 2-6 weeks. The number of treatment doses scheduled within each cycle also varies depending on the drugs being given.