Weighing whether to get cancer treatment close to home or in a university setting

When it comes to finding the right oncologist, there are a lot of things to consider and a lot of options to choose from. Cancer can impact just about every aspect of your life and impact everyone who cares about you, so the decision is an important one.

And just as there is a wide variety of cancers, there is an even wider variety of treatment types, prognoses and recovery timelines. Everyone’s situation is unique, with unique needs and priorities.

So, how do you pick the right treatment facility? Well, if you have chosen a doctor to treat you, you will have to pick a facility with which they are affiliated. If you’ve chosen a doctor close to home, then your treatment facility will likely be close to home, too. However, there are considerations that might require you to choose a facility farther away.

It’s about convenience

Getting treated close to home is the most convenient option. There are a lot of benefits, especially if your cancer treatment is straightforward and requires common treatment methods, like traditional radiation or chemotherapy.

• Less travel time

  • Some treatments may require daily trips for a while. If you are getting treated close to home, you get to skip the stress of a long or complicated commute or having to find alternative housing. No hotels or crashing on couches required.

• Greater comfort level

  • Cancer treatments are often accompanied by some difficult side effects. There are few places most people would rather recuperate than their own home. It’s where you are likely to be most comfortable, which means a lot when recovering from the effects of treatment.

Convenience and comfort are not enough

Getting treated close to home has a lot of benefits, but there are situations where a large research hospital, like the kind you can find at a major university, may be the best choice for you. 

If you have a rare type of cancer, or your condition is a complex one, you may need an advanced type of treatment you can’t find closer to home. Major universities are often the first facilities with the latest advancements in treatment. 

Universities also conduct clinical trials, testing drugs or treatments that have not been approved for wider use, yet. If traditional treatment methods or drugs cannot serve your needs, this may be the smart route for you. However, taking part in a clinical trial is a risk.

You can help researchers develop and test new treatments, and those treatments may prove to be more effective. The trial treatment may prove to not only be successful for you, but your participation can help researchers prove or refine a treatment that goes on to help countless others.

However, clinical trial treatments are not proven. The side effects may not be fully understood and may be severe. Plus, the new treatment may prove to be ineffective. 

Choosing where to get treatment is a very personal choice, so speak with your oncologist about your priorities and options and ask for any recommendations. The American Cancer Society has tools and tips for helping you make your decision, too.

Written By: Ken Harris

Reviewed By: Srilata Gundala, MD