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 Question:
I know the BC Cancer Agency has cancer centres around the province and treats people with cancer, but are there other services it provides to all residents of B.C.?
Answer:
Many people are aware that the BC Cancer Agency operates four regional cancer centers in B.C., with a fifth opening in Abbotsford in September 2008.
But those are not all the services the BC Cancer Agency provides.
The BC Cancer Agency provides a province-wide, population-based cancer control program for the residents of British Columbia. The cancer control program covers the spectrum from prevention and screening, to diagnosis, treatment, and through to rehabilitation and end of life care.
The BC Cancer Agency is committed to providing all patients with access to a full range of quality cancer services, regardless of where they live. Through a network of regional cancer centres, community cancer centres and other cancer services and programs, cancer patients and family members in B.C. are supported as close to home as possible.
So, if you have received cancer care in B.C., whether it was at a regional BC Cancer Agency centre, a local hospital, a community clinic or health centre or even cancer screening delivered by your own doctor, you are benefiting from the work of the BC Cancer Agency.
What you may not know about the BC Cancer Agency:
The following services are provided by the BC Cancer Agency for all residents of British Columbia:
- Patient Assessment, Diagnosis and Therapy Planning
- Radiation Therapy
- Chemotherapy Services
- Nursing Care
- Patient and Family Counseling
- Nutrition Counseling
- Pharmacy Services
- Pain and Symptom Control Service
- Teaching and Research Activities
- Cancer Information Library
- Some Surgical Services (day surgery)
- Dental and Oral Care
- Hereditary cancer (diagnosis and counseling)
- Screening and Early Detection Programs
Community Cancer Care: The Communities Oncology Network is a voluntary partnership between the BC Cancer Agency and 19 Community Cancer Centres, 6 Community Cancer Services and 12 Consultative Clinics across the province. The Network also supports delivery of cancer patient care and support in 33 other Community Hospitals.
Cancer Screening: The BC Cancer Agency provides screening programs that apply a relatively simple, inexpensive test to a large number of people in order to identify those with conditions predisposing to the development of cancer, or who have cancer in its early stages. Screening programs include: Cervical Cancer Screening Program, and the Screening Mammography Program of BC. A colorectal cancer program is being initiated. Further research and development is being conducted in lung cancer, prostate and oral cancer early detection programs.
Cancer Prevention: The BC Cancer Agency, with support from the BC Cancer Foundation, recently established a team of community prevention coordinators across B.C. They are building partnerships, assessing community needs, facilitating the implementation of community action plans and public education programs and making recommendations for cancer control in their regions. The Agency runs a hereditary cancer program to identify and counsel those with inherited predisposition to the development of cancer.
Cancer Research: Research is an essential part of the BC Cancer Agency’s mission to not only find the causes of cancer, but to find better treatments, to prolong life and improve the quality of life. With direct links between the BC Cancer Agency’s physicians and the BC Cancer Agency’s Research Centre, new discoveries can be quickly translated into improved patient care. The BC Cancer Agency’s Research Centre includes 10 specialty laboratories including the Genome Sciences Centre, and the Terry Fox Laboratory.
Have a question about the BC Cancer Agency that you can’t find an answer for? Every issue Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, president of the BC Cancer Agency, will answer a question to clarify issues on cancer research, debunk myths and discuss other cancer-related subjects. If you have a burning cancer question please send it to cancerwise@bccancer.bc.ca.
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