Systemic Therapy

This page was last updated on April 22, 2025.

Systemic therapy treatment appointments include appointments for bloodwork, with the nurse and oncologist and treatment. 

Your systemic therapy treatment may also be called chemotherapy or immunotherapy.  Treatment medications are given orally (by mouth), injection or intravenous (IV). You may receive more than one medication. This is based on the type of cancer you have. You may receive treatment medications at the cancer centre, a clinic in the community or for you to take at home. Each person is different. Each cancer and treatment plan may also be different.

Systemic therapy treatment is given in cycles. A cycle has days of treatment and days of rest. Days of rest allow your body time to build new healthy cells and regain strength.

Before you start your treatment, you will be asked to watch 3 short videos.

  1. What to expect for your systemic therapy treatments.
  2. What to expect for your appointment with the cancer centre pharmacist.
  3. Safety at home when you are on systemic therapy treatment. 

A message with a link to these videos is sent to your MyChart account or emailed to you. 

  • You will be given an appointment with a pharmacist at the cancer centre. The pharmacist provides information on the medications you will receive. You will also receive information on the side effects of medications and how to manage them. We encourage you to have a family member/partner-in-care participate in this appointment with you. This allows them to receive this information with you.
  • You will be scheduled for a pre-treatment appointment to have bloodwork and see your oncologist and nurse.

If you need to have bloodwork done, it is scheduled the day before your treatment. This provides the pharmacy team the time needed to prepare your treatment medications.

You may not see your oncologist at every pre-treatment appointment. This appointment may be scheduled as a nurse pre-treatment on the same day as your bloodwork appointment These appointments take place in an assessment area located at the top of the stairs to the B1 level of the cancer centre (beside the volunteer room). 

The nurse will talk to you about safety in the Systemic Therapy Suite and at home.

 Every patient having chemotherapy treatment is given this Fever Card. 

 

A fever can be a medical emergency when you are having chemotherapy treatment. Take this card with you when you go to the Emergency Department (ED) with a fever.  It is important that you show it to both the ED nurse and the ED doctor. One side of the card tells you when to go to the ED.  The other side of the card will help the nurse and doctor know how to care for you.

If you are taking an immunotherapy medication, you will be given this Immunotherapy Card.

 

The side effects you have when  taking an immunotherapy medication can be life threatening. Take this card with you when you go to the Emergency Department (ED).  It is important that you show it to both the nurse and the doctor. One side of the card tells you when to go to the ED. The other side of the card will help the ED doctor know what care and treatment you need.

Managing your systemic therapy treatment appointments

Review your systemic therapy treatment appointments on MyChart.  Talk to a member of your healthcare team if you have concerns about this.

How to review your appointments

  1. Sign in to your MyChart account.  Ask a member of your healthcare for information on how to get a MyChart account if you do not have one.
  2. Click on the ‘visits’ button to see a list of your upcoming visits (appointments).  Your next appointments for systemic therapy treatment will appear on MyChart no later than 3 days before your next appointment with the oncologist.
  3. Click on ‘appointment details’ for each upcoming (or future) visit. This offers you information on the date and time of the appointment.
Changing or cancelling a systemic therapy treatment appointment

Cancelling on the day of your appointment:

  • Call the Systemic Therapy Suite at 905-576-8711 extension 34030.
  • Call a nurse at the cancer centre from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm, (except on holidays). Use the phone number the nurse gave you.

Cancelling an upcoming (or future) appointment

  • If you are cancelling because of an illness: Call a nurse at the cancer centre from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm, (except on holidays). Use the phone number the nurse gave you. You can leave a non-urgent message after-hours and on weekends or holidays.
    • If you are cancelling for other reasons: Call the scheduling team at 905-576-8711 extension 34242 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm (except on holidays).
When you come for your systemic therapy treatments

We provide an armband for you to wear for each treatment appointment. A nurse scans your armband and any medication you are to receive with a hand held scanner.

Plan to have someone drive you to and from your first appointment. The treatment medications are new to you and we do not know how they will make you feel. The systemic therapy nurse answers any questions you have.

It is important you:

  • Arrive 15 minutes before the time of your appointment.
  • Bring a supply of the medications you need to take during the time you are in the Systemic Therapy Suite.
  • Drink 2 to 3 cups (500 to 750 ml) of fluids before you come for your treatment. Drink a total of 6 to 8 cups of fluid on the day of your treatment and for 2 days after your treatment.
    • Bring personal items such as a tablet or phone with headphones, or a book to read to help you pass the time. There are some TVs available.
    • Wear layers of clothing. This allows you to take off or add clothing if needed.
    • Bring snacks or a lunch with you.
    • Do not use or wear any product that has a perfume or scent.

You may bring one family member/partner-in-care with you. Pregnant women and children under the age of 18 cannot come into the Systemic Therapy Suite. This is for their protection. Let us know if you have any questions about this. Your family member or partner-in-care may not eat or drink while they wait with you.

To learn more about your systemic therapy treatment, read the “Chemotherapy and Other Drug Therapies: A Guide for People with Cancer” found on the Canadian Cancer Society’s website under publications at cancer.ca.

Rapid Response Oncology Clinic (RROC) Appointments

You may have other appointments scheduled in the RROC to receive treatment medications or procedures that do not need to be given in the Systemic Therapy Suite. The RROC is located on the B1 level of the cancer centre. You need to check in at a computer on this level when you arrive for your RROC appointment. Take a seat in the waiting room after you check-in. We call you from the waiting room when it is time for your appointment. Patients scheduled for radiation treatment appointments also use this waiting room.

Talk to a member of your healthcare team if you have questions or concerns about any of this information.

Click here for a printable copy of this page. 

Family members/partners-in-care

You may bring one (1) family member/partner-in-care with you to appointments if you need their support.  Your family member/partner-in-care needs to:

  • Be symptom free (not have any symptoms of a cold, the flu or any other virus).
  • Use hand sanitizer/wash their hands often. 

We may need to restrict the number of family members/partners-in-care in some areas of the cancer centre where space is limited.  We need to make sure we can safely provide care and treatment to all patients.  

Click here for more information on appointments in the cancer centre. 

Directions

From Hospital Court

Enter through the main lobby and continue past the food court to the A-wing hallway, located just passed the lobby escalators. Turn left into the A-wing hallway and continue past the double doors into the first floor of the cancer centre. Please check in at the computer in the waiting room.

From Parkwood Court

The main entrance to the cancer centre is at the set of hospital doors furthest to the east on Parkwood Court. Come through this entrance and check in at the computer in the waiting room.