Many people living with cancer struggle with the physical and emotional effects of their illness and treatment. Regardless of where they are in their cancer journey, patients sometimes need help to manage their pain, nausea, anxiety or other symptoms. The Ontario Cancer Symptom Management Collaborative was established to improve the quality and consistency of managing cancer patient’s symptoms.

How does Cancer Care Ontario help?

We develop tools and information for patients and healthcare providers to improve care at every step of the way. We also bring together experts across all areas of care and administration to make these tools better and expand their use.

• Interactive Symptom Assessment and Collection (ISAAC) lets patients and their caregivers assess and track their symptoms online. This tool makes it easier for healthcare providers to monitor changes in their patients’ symptoms and identify those in need of care.
• Ontario Cancer Symptom Management Collaborative brings together a variety of experts from across the province to promote earlier identification, documentation and communication of patients’ symptoms. This leads to optimized symptom management and collaborative care planning.
  
• Symptom control information sheets for patients and their families outline steps to prevent and reduce side effects from chemotherapy.
• Evidence-based guidelines help healthcare providers and patients make decisions about appropriate care for specific clinical circumstances.
• Telephone Nursing Practice and Symptom Management Guidelines support nurses in assessing and advising patients over the telephone.