May 15, 2025
In February 2024, the Systemic Therapy Assessment Clinic (STAC) opened in the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre.
The clinic was created for systemic therapy patients who did not have access to specialized care outside of their regularly scheduled appointments, and who were sick, but did not necessarily need to visit the Emergency Department.
“The purpose of the clinic is to help close a delivery gap by providing a place for patients on systemic treatment to be assessed and treated outside of physician appointments,” explains Monica Elligsen, Manager, Outpatient Assessment, Cancer Care at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). "One of the goals of the clinic is to help reduce unnecessary visits to the Emergency Department by providing that timely, specialized care for patients,”
The clinic is staffed with nurse practitioners and registered nurses and aims to provide the same excellent, people-centred care patients have come to expect in the cancer centre in the right place at the right time.
Patient experience
Sezer Canoglu was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and had surgery to have the cancer removed in November of that year. Unfortunately, the cancer came back eight months later, and in 2024, he started chemotherapy treatment at LHSC’s Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre.
Canoglu’s most recent scan showed positive results, and he is no longer receiving chemotherapy but is now undergoing immunotherapy every four weeks.
“The first time I was connected with the clinic was when I phoned the triage line in the cancer centre and talked about the issue I was having,” Canoglu explains. “There was concern that my PICC line had a blockage.”
A PICC line is a peripherally inserted central catheter and is a long, thin tube that is inserted into a vein in the arm. The tube is used to deliver medication or draw blood over the long-term.
When Canoglu went into the clinic, he notes the positive experience. “So many people came to check on me and it made me feel good to be treated so well. Everyone was very helpful.”
Unfortunately, another complication arose for Canoglu and he developed a rash around his PICC line resulting in him needing to visit the clinic once again.
“The rash was red, swollen and very itchy. The nurses and nurse practitioner all paid good attention to me. During my first visit about the rash, they gave me an ointment, but that did not work. So, I had to go back. They tried different methods to treat the rash on each visit, before the nurse practitioner said the PICC line needed to be removed because it was causing issues,” Canoglu says. “While the rash was hard to treat, all of the nurses were wonderful. They were so capable. I’m happy this clinic, and the great people in it, are there.”
Thanks to the quick response and care he received through STAC, Canoglu was able to avoid an unnecessary visit to the Emergency Department. The clinic provided timely support, ensuring his symptoms were addressed without the need for emergency intervention.
Contacting STAC
If you are a patient receiving systemic therapy at LHSC’s Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre and are experiencing symptoms related to your treatment, please call the Telephone Triage line at 519-685-8600 and you will be triaged to the appropriate supports accordingly.