San Salvatore, L'Aquila

ESMO Designated Centre of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care

History

Medical Oncology Unit at the “San Salvatore” Hospital of L’Aquila, Italy, was established in 1990. It’s structured with an in-hospital ward, an out-patient clinic, a home care service and a laboratory for bio-molecular research.

Profile

In-hospital ward has 12 beds, out-patients clinic eight beds. Eight oncologists, three psychologists, a neurologist and a physiotherapist are members of the staff.

Specialities

The centre is traditionally involved in research on new options for treatment of solid tumours, with particular attention to breast and colon-rectal cancer.
In 2002 was established a team, called Supportive Care Task Force, fully dedicated to supportive, palliative and home care.

Palliative and supportive care

Palliative care is administered by the Supportive Care Task Force, formed by four oncologists, two neurologists, two psychologists and a physiotherapist.
SCTF manages an in-hospital palliative care unit (four beds inside the Medical Oncology Unit), an out-patients clinics and a home care service.