National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC)

Not all hospitals have a medical oncologist. Women who live in an area where there’s no medical oncologist, may have chemotherapy managed by another doctor such as a gynaecological oncologist or GP. If this happens, the doctor will talk regularly to a medical oncologist in another hospital about the woman’s treatment.

Some women decide to travel to another hospital to meet a medical oncologist to talk about their options and receive treatment. It may be possible for women living in rural areas to have chemotherapy given at home by a visiting nurse, although this is rare.