If you are experiencing a true, life-threatening emergency, call 911. Call our office only after you have made arrangements to get immediate assistance. If you go to the emergency room please inform your team that you are a patient at the SOMC Cancer Center and to notify your physician.
Our nurses return calls during business hours as time permits. We strive to return all patient phone calls within two hours.

Office hours at the SOMC Cancer Center are Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm. The SOMC Cancer Center is closed on the weekends and all national holidays. If you have a non-emergent issue outside working hours your call will be directed to the SOMC operator. The SOMC operator can contact your oncologist. We ask that you remember that our physicians’ schedules are designed so that there is always a medical oncologist on call. However, since the call is non-emergent please be aware that the oncologist may not be available to return your call immediately but that the oncologist will get with you as soon as possible.

Here is a list of symptoms that your oncology or hematology treatment team will want you to call about:

• Fever 100.5 F. degrees or greater
• Uncontrollable nausea or diarrhea
• Pain medication is not working
• Chest pains or shortness of breath
• Severe shaking or chills
• Bleeding from the nose or gums
• Blood in the urine
• Black, tarry, bowel movement
• Constipation with intense abdominal cramping
• Changes in your vision or hearing
• Increased bruising or pinpoint red or purple spots anywhere on the body