Welcome...
From the Cancer Center’s Patient and Family Advisory Council.

A Letter To You... (pdf)

Cancer has touched all of us in a deep and personal way. Some of us have survived cancer for years, some are receiving treatment today and others have watched their loved ones fight this disease. Whether we think of our experience with cancer as a journey, a road, a process, we all know that life is now different …things have changed.

The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is a center of excellence in cancer treatment. Your team is dedicated to giving you the best possible care. You are not alone. If you have cancer, we believe this is a great place to receive care. We wish you well.

"A Guide for Patients, Family, & Friends"

Click here to download Windows Media Player Windows Media Player (Windows Platform / PC) To view a 60 second video

To request a free copy of this 15 minute video or DVD, please contact the Cancer Center at: (877) 726-5130

General Information About Massachusetts
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center provides care throughout the hospital. It is likely that you will have appointments and tests in more than one of our buildings. You will also find many helpful people here who are more than willing to stop and answer a questions. Please remember that we are all here to help you.

• Where Should I Park?
• How Do I Get Around the Hospital?
• What is a Blue Card?
• Where Can I Stop and Get Information?
• Where Can I Get Something to Eat?
• Where Can I Get Cash?
• What If I Need An Interpreter?
• What if I am Deaf or Hard of Hearing?

Where Should I Park?
Parking is available at the hospital (New Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care (pdf)) but, as with any large city hospital, parking can be limited during our busiest hours (10 AM-3 PM).

• The Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care
  Offers valet parking at an added cost & underground parking. If you use the underground parking, you will need your ticket to pay at the parking office in the lobby of the Yawkey Center
• The Cox Building
  It has a valet parking program at a reduced cost for patients who have frequent visits for radiation treatment. This program is limited because of a small number of parking spaces. Please talk with the staff at the Information Desk on the first floor of the Cox Building for more details.
• Fruit Street and Parkman Street garages
  Remember to take your ticket with you to pay in the parking office on the ground level of each parking garage.
• The Wang Ambulatory Care Center
  It offers valet parking at the main entrance of the building at an added cost.

Taxis are available at the front of the hospital. Just stop by the information desk in the main lobby to ask for help.

If you need a wheelchair, ask any of the Ambassadors or Valet Parking Attendants where you park your car or are dropped off. They can help you find a wheelchair to use in the hospital.

What Is A Blue Card?
A Blue Card is your hospital registration or identification card. You may be asked for your Blue Card at every appointment. If you do not have one or need to update the information, call Patient Registration toll free at 1-866-211-6588. You can also get one in person at one of the Patient Registration locations (Wang Building, first floor). Please remember to let us know if any of the personal information on your Blue Card changes, so we can update your card.

Where Can I Stop and Get Information?
You will find information desks on the first floor of most buildings where patients are treated. Volunteers (wearing pink jackets and/or blue polo shirts that say MGH Volunteer ) can give you directions to your doctor's office, test locations, even to the cafeteria. The information desks are in the following places:

• Cox Building, first floor
• Hospital Main Lobby
• Wang Building Lobby Central Lobby
• Gray Building Lobby
• Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care, Lobby

• Coffee South (Yawkey Center, first floor lobby, open Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) Offers coffee, tea, hot chocolate, frozen drinks, and baked goods.
• Riverside Café (Yawkey Center, first floor lobby, open Mon-Fri 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Offers grilled sandwiches, pizza, light lunches, soups, desserts, and beverages.
• Blossom Street Café (First floor between the Cox Building and the The General Store , open Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.) Offers breakfast pastries, light lunches, soups, desserts, and beverages with a special focus on foods that are easy to digest and nutritious for patients with cancer.
• Coffee Central (Main corridor, open Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.) Offers coffee, tea, hot chocolate, frozen drinks, and baked goods.
• Eat Street Cafeteria (White Building, ground floor, open Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekends and holidays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) Offers food court variety of entrees, salads, sandwiches, pizza, grill items, desserts, and ice cream.
• Tea Leaves and Coffee Beans (Wang Building, lobby, open Mon-Fri 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Offers breakfast pastries, light lunches, soups, desserts, and beverages.

• Clinics Building
• Cox Building, first floor
• Main Corridor
• Yawkey Center, first floor

What If I Need An Interpreter?
Call our Interpreter Services Department at 617-726-6966/TTY617-726-0354.You have the right to a medical interpreter at no cost. Your doctor's office will schedule a medical interpreter for your visits. For spoken languages, interpreters can also help you communicate over the phone when you need to call a doctor or nurse. Please give as much notice as possible so an interpreter can be available for you.

Your Care
At the Cancer Center, you will see a team of oncology (cancer) specialists. Members of the team will discuss your case and recommend treatment for your specific needs. They will talk to each other on a regular basis and continue to plan your care throughout your treatment.

• Your Team
  There will be a number of people involved in your care. Your multidisciplinary team will include doctors, nurses, and social workers as well as other specialized health care professionals. Some of these other staff members available to you include dietitians, chaplains, psychiatrists, and pharmacists.

  Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital where the Cancer Center residents and fellows, who have graduated from medical school and are completing specialized training in oncology, work closely with the attending doctors. We also train social work interns, nursing students, dietary interns, and others.

• Your Visits
  Your initial and follow-up visits typically take place in the clinical programs' centers that relate to your specific diagnosis. The following could all be part of your visits:

• A multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists who are experts in your specific disease
• A coordinated treatment plan delivered to you either in the inpatient or outpatient setting, which may include lab tests, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, or radiology
• Research studies (clinical trials) to offer you access to promising, investigative treatments

Whether you came to the Cancer Center through a referral from your doctor, for a second opinion, or to get surgery, what you will find here is that we provide comprehensive and compassionate care to each and every patient.

Lab Tests
Most patients will have laboratory tests done on a regular basis. Your treatment team will make decisions about your care based on the results of your lab tests. It is important to follow the instructions of your team gives you about the tests you need and when these tests need to take place.

Helpful Hints:

• You will usually have your blood drawn at least one hour before your appointment. Your doctor or nurse needs these results to decide your treatment for that day.
• Some areas of the Cancer Center make appointments to have your lab tests done. Please check with your treatment team to see if you need an appointment.
• You can have your blood test done closer to your home, which may save time on the day of your treatment. See the insert located in the back pocket of this guide for off-site blood labs affiliated with the hospital. Your treatment team can also help arrange for you to have your blood drawn at a doctor's office or hospital closer to home.
• You will get a form at your appointment that is used to order your lab tests. Please bring it back with you when you have your lab tests done.
• We have found that information lessens patients' fears and helps patients and families care for themselves. You can get more information by:
  • Attending the free HOPES workshop Blood Counts.What You Should Know
  • Picking up the booklet Understanding Your Blood Counts in the waiting rooms and the Cancer Resource Room
  • Asking your doctor and nurse any questions you have
  • Visiting the Cancer Resource Room

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a general term to describe cancer treatment with drugs (medicines). If your care includes chemotherapy, your team will discuss your treatment plan with you, including information about your drugs. Chemotherapy may be given as a pill, injection, or through an infusion into your vein. Your treatment is custom-made to meet your specific needs. Chemotherapy drugs are prepared on-site by specially trained pharmacists. Nurses who have received additional education to perform this care, give the medications. If you need chemotherapy, you will receive it in one of our Infusion Units or as a patient in the hospital. In any case, you will need an appointment for your treatment.

Helpful Hints:

• You will need to have your blood drawn at least one hour before your doctor's appointment. Your doctor or nurse will need the lab results to plan your treatment for that day.
• It is important to arrive on time for your Infusion appointments. Please be sure to call the Infusion Unit if you are running late.
• We have found that information lessens patients' fears and helps patients and families care for themselves. You can get information about chemotherapy by::
  • Asking for a copy of Chemotherapy Instructions for Patients and Families (an information guide about what to expect during your chemotherapy treatment)
  • Asking your doctor or nurse for chemotherapy fact sheets which will give you information about your individual drugs
  • Attending the free HOPES workshop Chemotherapy.What You Should Know to learn more about chemotherapy and how to care for yourself
  • Asking your doctor and nurse any questions you have during your appointments
  • Visiting the Cancer Resource Room
• Keep a journal or diary of your treatments and questions to share with your team at your appointments.
• Always call your doctor or nurse with important questions or changes in your health.
• Ask about our free support and education workshops and services
• If you need assistance getting to other appointments at the hospital, please ask us.
• An oncology social worker may be helpful to talk to about concerns you may have about coping with your illness.

Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays or particles to kill cancer cells. The radiation source may come externally (from outside the body) from beams and x-rays aimed at the cancer, or the source can come internally (from inside the body) from radioactive implants. The goal is for the radiation to kill the cancer cells while limiting the damage to healthy, normal cells around the tumor. Fortunately, most healthy cells that are affected by the radiation can quickly repair themselves.

The Cancer Center provides resources that are found in few other hospitals. In the Department of Radiation Oncology, the Northeast Proton Therapy Center is one of only three such facilities in the nation. This type of treatment allows the radiation to target certain tumors, without damaging the tissue around them.

Before your treatment starts, you will have an appointment for a planning session called a simulation. During this time, the radiation oncologist will define the exact area to be treated and develop your care plan. Once your plan is made, a radiation therapist, a certified licensed health care professional who administers the radiation treatment prescribed by the radiation doctor, will give you your daily treatment . Expect each treatment visit to last about 45-60 minutes. You will see your doctor and nurse for a routine "status check" each week during your treatment.

Helpful Hints:

• Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointments.
• Always bring your radiation identification card with you to every appointment. You will receive this card on your first visit.
• Ask your team if there are special instructions you need to follow.
• Get tips from your doctor and nurse about managing side effects.
• You can relax in the Radiation Patient Waiting Area in-between radiation treatments.
• We have found that information lessens patients' fears and helps patients and families care for themselves. You can get information about radiation therapy by:
  • Asking for a copy of Your Guide to Radiation Therapy. It is an information guide about what you can expect during your radiation therapy treatment
  • Attending the free HOPES workshop Radiation Therapy.What You Should Know to learn more about your radiation treatments
  • Asking your doctor and nurse any questions you have
  • Visiting the Cancer Resource Room
• Ask about our free support and education workshops and services
• If you need help getting to other appointments at the hospital, please ask us.
• An oncology social worker may also be helpful to talk to about concerns you may have.

Surgery
Surgery is used in many ways, including diagnosing cancer, determining the stage of the cancer, removing the primary tumor, and relieving symptoms. If you have cancer, there is a very good chance that you will see a surgeon during the course of your treatment.

Your first visit to your surgeon's office will include a physical exam and meeting with the doctor who will be performing your cancer surgery. You will need to bring any x-rays or films you have as well as copies of medical records from outside doctors.

Helpful Hints:

• Bring a list of all referring doctors' phone numbers.
• Make sure any x-rays or films you bring have written reports included.
• If you receive paperwork in advance, please bring the completed paperwork to your appointment.
• Bring your calendar to help you coordinate future tests, appointments, and surgery dates.
• Go to a HOPES workshop to learn more about coping with stress prior to surgery
• We have found that information lessens patients' fears and helps patients and families care for themselves. You can get information about surgery by:
  • Asking your doctor and nurse any questions you have
  • Visiting the Cancer Resource Room
• Ask about our free support and education workshops and services
• An oncology social worker may also be helpful to talk to about concerns you may have.

Inpatient Care
You may be admitted to the hospital for your care. Cancer care is delivered on many different inpatient floors.

Your primary doctor will continue to direct your treatment plan by working with your inpatient treatment team. Since thiis is a teaching hospital, doctors who are in training as interns and residents may also be involved in your care.

Your primary nurse coordinates your nursing care and is the nurse who knows you best. Talk to your doctor or primary nurse whenever you or your family has questions or concerns. Your primary nurse communicates regularly with your doctor and all other treatment team members.

Helpful Hints:

• Bring a list of all of your prescription and non-prescription medicines.
• Since it is important for patients to visit with friends and family, visiting times are flexible. There are no set visiting hours or age limitations. Visitors should speak with your nurse to find out the best time to visit.
• We will help you plan for your discharge and arrange any special services or supplies that you may need at home.
• Before you are discharged, make sure you have all the information that you need about your medications and home care.
• Educational videos are available on the hospital TV channel. Ask your nurse.
• We have found that information lessens patients' fears and helps patients and families care for themselves. You can get information about inpatient care by:
  • Asking for a copy of our Patient Information Guide
  • Asking your doctor and nurse any questions you have
  • Visiting the Cancer Resource Room
• Ask about our free support and education workshops and services (see page x).
• An oncology social worker may also be helpful to talk to about concerns you may have.

Radiology
Radiology tests (MRIs, CT scans, x-rays, PET scans, etc.) are an important part of cancer care. They help with diagnosis and can give important information about your treatment. Radiology tests are done in a number of areas in the hospital, including the Yawkey Center. Many of these tests are also available at some of our affiliated off-site locations, which may be closer to your home.

Helpful Hints:

• Ask if your test can be scheduled at a site closer to your home.
• Ask if there are special preparations needed for your test.
• Ask if your test can be done during evening or weekend hours.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your radiology test or visit, please contact a radiology representative at the numbers listed on the insert in the back pocket of this guide.

Clinical Trials
Clinical trials for cancer treatment are research studies that try to find better ways to treat cancer. Clinical trials often compare the current standard treatment with the new treatment that doctors hope will be better. Today, all new treatments start as clinical trials.

In the past, clinical trials were sometimes seen as the only option for patients who had no other treatment choices. However, today many patients choose to participate in research studies even during the earliest stages of cancer.

Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is part of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC). This is the largest, combined cancer research effort in the United States and is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Our patients have access to all research studies in the DF/HCC system. Massachusetts' law now requires that health insurers cover the standard care costs involved in a clinical trial.

Helpful Hints:

• We have found that information lessens patients' fears and helps patients and families care for themselves. You can get information about clinical trials by:
  • Attending the free HOPES workshop Clinical Trials.What You Should Know
  • Getting the pamphlet If You Have Cancer: Clinical Trials at MGH and the more detailed pamphlet Cancer Treatment: Clinical Trials at MGH . These can be found in the Cancer Resource Room
  • Visiting the Cancer Resource Room
• Talk with your doctor and team to learn more about your specific options and choices that are right for you.
  

Support & Education
There are many things that you can do to learn more about your cancer and find the support you need. We offer many programs and resources to help you, as well as your family and friends. Please take advantage of the following programs to use throughout your experience with cancer – during diagnosis, treatment, recovery and beyond. For more information, go to: Support & Education

For a short video demonstrating the types the Support and Education Programs see below:

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