Medications

Cancer therapy continues to advance with immunotherapy, molecularly targeted drugs and new generations of hormone-mediated treatments that improve survival and quality of life.

There is more hope for cancer patients than ever. At the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute, backed by its membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, you can find this innovative care close to home.


Cancer Drug Shortages

Learn important information about cancer drug shortages — and what you can do.


How Chemotherapy Works

Chemotherapy – A drug or combination of drugs given intravenously, orally, as an injection or applied to the skin used to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells. Depending on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is, chemotherapy can cure it, control it or ease the symptoms.

Your doctor will decide which chemotherapy drug or drugs to use based on your general health, type and location of the cancer and your response to the drugs. Chemotherapy drugs are often given with other medications that control side effects.

The Cancer Institute offers chemotherapy at 13 facilities across the state, making it easy for you to access the treatment close to home.


How Immunotherapy Works

Immunotherapy – A type of therapy that helps treat cancer by restoring, boosting or redirecting your body’s immune system to help fight cancer.


How Biotherapy Works

Biological therapy uses living organisms, or a similar substance created in a lab, to stimulate the immune system’s response against cancer cells. This therapy often causes fewer toxic side effects than other treatments.


How Hormone Therapy Works

Hormone therapy – also called hormonal therapy, hormone treatment or endocrine therapy -- slows or stops the growth of cancers that use hormones to grow. It’s also effective in easing cancer symptoms, particularly in men with prostate cancer who cannot have surgery or radiation therapy.

The type of treatment you need depends on the type of cancer you have, whether it has spread and how far, if it uses hormones to grow and if you have other health problems. Some patients with early stage cancer might not require a medical oncologist on their care team. For them, surgery or radiation therapy is sufficient.


Connect with our Team

Call 855.255.6181 or request a callback for support, advice, or a second opinion.

A member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, we provide innovative care close to home.

We offer the latest treatments through our ongoing membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Alliance, which gives you access to the latest standards of care and clinical trials.

The MSK Alliance

Support at the Cancer Institute

The Cancer Institute offers whatever you and your family need on your journey, whether it’s access to an oncology social worker, a nurse navigator to coordinate your care or the support of our Patient and Family Resource Center.


Medical oncologists are central figures in the care of most patients. As physicians, they offer expertise in the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of solid tumors.

At the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute, medical oncologists use a big-picture view to help you understand a diagnosis and the types of treatments that are best suited to your case.

Meet our medical oncologists

Yelena Pristyazhnyuk

 

Hematology / Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
More Locations
Hartford, CT 06106
Rajvi Patel

4.9

Hematology / Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
More Locations
Hartford, CT 06106
Kristi Dubey

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
Alvaro Menendez

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
More Locations
Manchester, CT 06042
Willimantic, CT 06226
Amandeep Aujla

4.8

Hematology / Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Backus Hospital
Norwich, CT 06360
Alexandra LaMonica

5

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Waterford
Waterford, CT 06385
More Locations
Plainfield, CT 06374
Deborah Berry

 

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at St. Vincent’s Medical Center
Fairfield, CT 06824
Katie Murphy

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
Paige Whittaker

 

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
Samira Razzaq

 

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
Nicole Damm

 

Medical Oncology

Medical Group SWIM Center for Cancer Care at St. Vincent's Medical Center
Bridgeport, CT 06606
Debra Gage

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Manchester
Manchester, CT 06042
More Locations
Farmington, CT 06032
Avon, CT 06001
Brian Byrne

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Southington
Southington, CT 06489
More Locations
Plainville, CT 06062
New Britain, CT 06053
Southington, CT 06489
Bristol, CT 06010
Sandhya Dhanjal

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at St. Vincent’s Medical Center
Fairfield, CT 06824
More Locations
Bridgeport, CT 06606
Benjamin Chu

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT 06106
More Locations
Manchester, CT 06042
Avon, CT 06001
Jie Yang

 

Medical Oncology

Eastern Connecticut Hematology & Oncology
Norwich, CT 06360
Susan Alsamarai

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at The Hospital of Central Connecticut
Meriden, CT 06451
Krishna Gunturu

 

Hematology / Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Plainville
Plainville, CT 06062
Megan Homes

 

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Plainville
Plainville, CT 06062
Sapna Khubchandani

4.8

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Waterford
Waterford, CT 06385
More Locations
Norwich, CT 06360
Sharon Salesky

4.8

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Medical Group at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Torrington, CT 06790
More Locations
Hartford, CT 06106
Sharynn Hall

 

Medical Oncology

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Cancer Care Center
Torrington, CT 06790
Todd Alekshun

4.9

Hematology / Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Avon
Avon, CT 06001
More Locations
Manchester, CT 06042
Daniel Reuben

 

Hematology / Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at St. Vincent's Medical Center
Bridgeport, CT 06606
More Locations
Fairfield, CT 06824
Mandeep Dhami

 

Hematology / Oncology

Eastern Connecticut Hematology & Oncology
Norwich, CT 06360
Wylie Hosmer

4.9

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute - Southington
Southington, CT 06489
More Locations
Plainville, CT 06062
New Britain, CT 06053
Southington, CT 06489
Bristol, CT 06010
Edward Duda

4.8

Medical Oncology

Medical Group Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at St. Vincent’s Medical Center
Fairfield, CT 06824
More Locations
Bridgeport, CT 06606

Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute