Cancer patients dealing with crushing fatigue, nausea, or pain now have a faster way to get help before those side effects turn into an emergency room visit.
Story Snapshot
- Novant Health Cancer Institute opened a symptom management clinic for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
- The clinic offers same-day assessment, lab testing, and treatments like IV fluids to control side effects quickly.
- National cancer groups say about one-third of cancer patients end up in the emergency room for symptoms that could sometimes be treated elsewhere.
- The clinic fits a larger national push toward catching side effects early instead of waiting for a crisis.
New Clinic Targets Rapid Symptom Relief
The Novant Health Cancer Institute has opened a symptom management clinic for patients going through cancer treatment. The clinic gives patients quick, focused care for symptoms tied to their cancer or its treatment. The stated goal is simple: help people feel better faster, without forcing them to wait for a regular oncology appointment or head straight to the emergency room.
Novant Health describes the service on its website, noting that some cancer treatments leave patients feeling “exhausted, nauseous or in pain.” The health system says its symptom management specialists work alongside a patient’s full cancer care team, offering support tied into broader cancer wellness programs rather than treating symptoms in isolation.
What the Service Offers
The clinic provides assessment, laboratory testing, visits with clinicians, and interventions such as intravenous fluids for patients who are dehydrated or run down from treatment. Novant’s cancer centers also offer integrative options like yoga, meditation, and stress management, aimed at easing anxiety, depression, and pain that often accompany chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.
At Novant Health Cancer Institute locations, care teams meet weekly to review each patient’s treatment plan and progress. These meetings often include specialists in medical oncology, radiation oncology, and pathology, so symptom concerns get folded into the bigger picture of a patient’s care rather than handled as a separate problem.
A Broader Shift Toward Supportive Care
Novant’s approach mirrors a wider change happening across oncology. The American Society of Clinical Oncology publishes guidelines covering nausea, pain, and other treatment side effects, pushing doctors to treat symptom control as a core part of cancer care rather than an afterthought. The National Cancer Institute makes a similar point, telling patients their care team can treat or help reduce side effects so they feel better during treatment.
That guidance now extends to newer cancer drugs, too. The American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network jointly built guidelines specifically for side effects from immune checkpoint inhibitors, a newer class of cancer treatment that can trigger its own set of complications needing fast attention.
Why Early Intervention Matters
The push for faster symptom care responds to a real and costly problem. Roughly one-third of cancer patients have unplanned emergency room visits or hospital stays tied to managing symptoms like pain, trouble breathing, infection, or nausea and vomiting. Emergency rooms are often not set up to manage cancer-specific complications efficiently, which can mean longer waits and higher costs for patients already dealing with a serious illness.
🏥 NEW SUPPORT FOR CANCER PATIENTS
Novant Health has opened a symptom management clinic to help patients experiencing cancer treatment side effects.
The clinic offers same-day appointments when needed, lab testing, IV fluids and weekday virtual visits. Details 👇 pic.twitter.com/xPeqf9q0RF
— WWAY News (@WWAY) November 10, 2026
Research on similar clinics shows mixed results. One study of a nurse-practitioner-led symptom clinic at a community cancer institute found it was linked to a rise in emergency department visits rather than a drop, a reminder that these programs don’t always work exactly as designed. Even so, the broader clinical consensus still favors building rapid-access symptom care as a way to keep patients out of crowded emergency rooms when possible.
Life After Treatment: Lasting Effects
Support doesn’t end when active treatment stops. At Novant Health Cancer Institute in Greensboro, nurse practitioner Kristin Curcio works with patients on what recovery looks like once treatment wraps up, since some side effects can linger well past the final appointment. The American Cancer Society notes that long-term and late effects of cancer treatment are common, meaning follow-up symptom support stays relevant long after a patient’s last chemotherapy session.
For patients weighing treatment options, cancer care groups consistently recommend asking care teams directly which side effects are most likely, how long they might last, and who to call if symptoms get severe enough to need same-day attention. Clinics like Novant’s are designed to answer that last question with a dedicated, faster path to care.
Sources:
youtube.com, novanthealth.org, ascopubs.org, cancer.org, cancer.gov, connection.asco.org, link.springer.com
