Welcome to Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
Thank you for choosing Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center for your care.
We know it was a big decision, and we promise to do our best to assure you that you made the right one. To start, we at Holden are uniquely equipped to take care of you. Here’s why:
Better Outcomes
We’re Iowa’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, and we’re one of only 53 NCI comprehensive cancer centers in the country. Studies have shown that patients treated at NCI-designated centers like ours have as much as a 25% greater likelihood of better outcomes.
Teams of Experts
We have teams of experts who specialize in specific types of cancer. This means our specialists have the necessary expertise and experience to care for you.
More Treatment Options
We offer more treatment options than anywhere in Iowa, and we will work with you to tailor your care plan to your specific treatment goals.
MANAGING YOUR JOURNEY
To help make navigating your new diagnosis easier, we’ve designed this binder to serve as a resource and guide.
While this binder can serve as a reference and help you manage your journey, you will still have a care team committed to being there with you every step of the way.
All of that is made possible by our dedicated team of specialists, researchers, nurses and staff who work every day to help advance cancer research, deliver new treatments and therapies, and provide care and support to help you get back to your life.
Below are some resources to help you manage your journey. While these materials can be used as a reference, you will still have a care team committed to being there with you every step of the way. We know there will be challenges ahead, but as a patient at Holden, you’ll never have to face them alone.
What to expect from your visit
Our goal is to make your visits to our cancer center as easy and stress-free as possible. The videos below will walk you through what you can expect at your first clinic and infusion appointments.
Your First Appointment
Learn more about how to navigate your way to our clinic and what to expect at your first appointment.
Your First Infusion
Discover the steps and safety checks that go into preparing your cancer medications and learn what to expect at your first infusion appointment.
Treatment Options
Your team of oncologists, surgeons, radiation therapists, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, and more will center you and your needs when making decisions on how to best treat your cancer. With more treatment options than anywhere else in Iowa, you’ll have a treatment approach that’s customized for you.
Many patients’ treatment plans include an infusion, which may include traditional chemotherapy, fluids to prevent or treat dehydration, hormone therapy that kills or stops cancer cells, immunotherapy that boosts your own immune system to fight cancer, and/or other specialized treatments.
Clinical Research
There are two main types of clinical research that take place at Holden: research registries, which normally don’t involve treatment but allow our researchers to perform further medical research, and clinical trials, which look for new ways to prevent or treat cancer and often involve treatment.
We treat more than just your cancer
Services and Resources
We’re not just focused on treating your cancer, we’re focused on treating you as a whole person. That’s why we have services and resources for our patients and their loved ones, from oncology social workers and nutritionists to wig fittings and styling.
Helpful Patient Information
We understand navigating a cancer journey can be complicated. Your care team is always available to answer any questions you have or direct you to the right service or resource.
