Cancer Care

Choosing where and from whom you'll receive cancer care is one of the most important decisions you will make. You’ll want a specialist in your specific cancer, someone who is experienced with the latest diagnostic and treatment advances, and who has the resources to ensure you receive the very best cancer care available.

As a major cancer hospital, Duke offers all of these things through its teams of cancer doctors. Here are some of the many reasons to choose our cancer doctors and our cancer hospitals in Durham and Raleigh for your care.

A Team Approach
Many different cancer doctors and cancer-specific health professionals work together to coordinate your care. Studies show that receiving cancer treatment from multiple specialists results in better outcomes. Your team may include:

• Surgical Oncologists. Often your cancer care starts with a type of surgical procedure to remove cancer. Your cancer surgeon will evaluate the type and stage of your cancer and recommend the procedure that's right for you.
• Medical Oncologists. Oversee chemotherapy, immunotherapies, and targeted treatments when they are part of your cancer treatment plan.
• Radiation Oncologists. Targeted and shortened courses of radiation therapy may be used to shrink tumors before or after surgery. Duke radiation oncologists will also teach you techniques to minimize radiation exposure to your normal healthy tissues.
• Plastic Surgeons. When necessary, a plastic surgeon may help you understand your reconstruction options.
• You may also interact with counselors, nutritionists, pharmacists, social workers, and other cancer-specific caregivers who support you and your cancer treatment.

Personalized Treatment Options and Clinical Trial Access
Many of our cancer doctors are recognized leaders for their roles in developing new drugs, cancer vaccines, and novel approaches to treating cancer and related symptoms through our clinical trials. Ongoing clinical trials also explore genomics, which is the study of genes, how they function, and their impact on health. These efforts and providing access to these ongoing clinical trials help us personalize your cancer treatment options.

Treatment Near Your Home or Work
Convenience is important when it comes to ongoing cancer care. You can see your doctors, get lab work and imaging tests, and receive certain types of treatment at our cancer centers in Durham, Raleigh, and Cary. In addition, the Duke Cancer Network provides an array of cancer services in a network of community cancer programs in North Carolina and many other states.

Advanced Imaging Tools for Cancer Screening, Diagnosis
Our board-certified radiologists use 3D scans, high-resolution cameras, and other advanced technologies to detect cancer at the earliest possible stage. The new technology allows us to find smaller cancers that are difficult to detect on traditional imaging machines. 

Comprehensive Support for You and Your Loved Ones
Our cancer support services help you and your loved ones cope with cancer and survivorship. We offer individual counseling sessions with certified therapists, financial counseling, and help with housing and transportation. We also offer support groups, spiritual guidance, and recreation therapy. View all of our cancer support groups.

Educational Resources
Staff members at the Duke Cancer Center’s Patient Resource Center provide information on prevention, early detection, disease-specific cancers, treatments, side effects, research and clinical trials, complementary therapies, support, emotional care, children's concerns, and end-of-life care. We offer classes in chemotherapy education, breast reconstruction, cancer nutrition, quitting smoking, diabetes education, and free legal services.

Remote, Written Second Opinion Reports
Get a written second opinion report from a Duke Health specialist in the comfort of your home. A second opinion can confirm a diagnosis, offer a different diagnosis, provide information about the most advanced treatments available, and ensure confidence in your decisions when faced with a serious medical condition. Learn more about our remote second opinion platform and process.

Our cancer services fall under the umbrella of the Duke Cancer Institute, which brings together the extensive resources of Duke University, Duke Health, and the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. We are committed to making innovative discoveries, developing new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, and delivering those therapies in a patient- and family-centric way.

Fifty years ago, Duke was one of the first eight National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the country. We continue to provide a level of cancer expertise and experience only found in the top 4% of U.S. centers. 

We are also part of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers dedicated to improving patient care.