History
The Oncology Department of the San Giovanni Bosco Hospital was founded in 2003 as CAS (Centro Accoglienza e Servizi) where patients and families are received from the first visit to the start of therapies and Day Hospital for the administration of chemotherapy. Over time, the number of the patients in charge has continuously increased, as well as the team, composed of doctors, nurses and psychologists and services for the assistance of our patients, all in close integration with the Palliative Care Service.
Profile
Medical Oncology Dept. is directed by Doctor Alessandro Comandone and includes the following Services:
- CAS where patients and families are received from the first visit to the start of therapies.
- Day Hospital for intravenous and oral therapies
- Supportive cares service.
- GIC: multidisciplinary weekly meetings with Branch Specialists.
For patients in charge, from the first visit, the palliative needs of the patients and caregivers are evaluated. During active care at DH, palliative support is requested either in case of toxicity or in case of declining general condition. When active care stops, home assistance or in Hospice care is activated by the same palliative unit.
Specialities
The Director of Oncology, Dr. Alessandro Comandone is one of the leading experts in the treatment of Rare Tumours, in particular sarcomas.
Areas of particular interest at the Medical Oncology Unit of San Giovanni Bosco Hospital are neoplasms of the gastro-enteric tract in general and pancreatic in particular. We also deal with thoracic-pulmonary, head-neck, breast and gynaecological, cerebral and urological cancers.
Palliative and Supportive Care
Within our unit there is constant cooperation between the oncologist, who has in charged, the patient and the palliative care specialist. Oncologists and palliative care specialists decide together how to manage the problem - stopping chemotherapy, delaying it, starting supportive care, planning a new visit or organising hospitalisation.
If the patient can access the outpatient clinic, we organise a peripheral off site visit in a nearby medical clinic. In this setting we see patients who cannot access anticancer therapy due to bad performance status, co-morbid situation, or the progression of disease without new therapy available. This activity has many aims focused on the physical and psychological needs of the patient.
In the most compromised situations, the Palliative Care Unit and the practitioner can activate home assistance or reserve a room at the Hospice. When the patient is at home, the hospital care unit activates the specific territorial palliative staff to provide continuous care.
Last update: January 2025
