Medical Oncology
Introduction

The Medical Oncology Department at the Cancer Center is run by the Santa Barbara Hematology Oncology Medical Group. They are housed in the Cancer Center Facility, but they are a separate corporation composed of four medical oncologists, many nurses, lab and office staff. The distinguished physicians, along with their highly skilled nurses, treat between 30 - 40 patients per day with various types of cancers and blood disease problems.

The treatment provided in Medical Oncology, called chemotherapy, involves the use of anti-cancer drugs to destroy or diminish the cancer. Patients receiving chemotherapy are made as comfortable as possible during treatment, which can last from a few minutes to several hours.

Chemotherapy patients are sometimes selected to participate in national research studies which are coordinated by the Cancer Center's Research Department. Such research studies on the national level have produced several new chemotherapy drugs over the last few years which reduce common chemotherapy side effects like hair loss and nausea in some patients.

The Cancer Center and SBHOMG also work with Santa Barbara's Pediatric Oncologist Felicity Hodder, M.D. Dr. Hodder's office is located in Cottage Hospital and she provides much needed services for children in our area.