Having cancer is always life changing for patients, their families, and their close community. At the Northern Marianas Oncology Center at CHCC, we promise to provide compassionate, state-of-the-art cancer care for our patients, with the twin goals of improving quality of life and length of life. When it is possible to cure our patient’s cancer, we will put forth every effort to maximize the chance of cure. We try to understand the patient’s social situation, and how that will affect the patient’s understanding of the cancer and how treatment may affect them.v

In 2021, the Northern Marianas Oncology Center opened the Comprehensive Cancer Screening and Prevention Program to serve all residents living in the CNMI. The goal of the program is to screen for and prevent common cancers, so that we will have less cancer in the CNMI, and if cancer develops, it will be caught at an earlier stage. This unique program provides cancer prevention counseling and vaccines, as well as screening advice and testing, with follow-up of results. This program is available to all people who live in the CNMI. To schedule an appointment with a health care provider for a cancer screening and prevention visit, please call 670-234-8950 and ask for Oncology, or the Cancer Screening Program. Your health insurance will typically cover the cost. If no health insurance, the hospital will typically provide these services at no cost to you.

The Oncology Center also has a Palliative Care Program. For patients who have advanced cancer, we help with:

• Symptoms from the cancer, including pain
• Goals of care
• Comfort at the end of life if the end of life is near
• Medical, dietary, and social support

Our Palliative Care Program focuses on helping with these issues and more. Often, our palliative care providers and nurses can make home visits to our patients if needed.