Urgent care vs. the ER: How to know where to go
June 11, 2026
Visit the ER for serious illness or injuries when you need emergency care. Visit urgent care for minor injuries or illnesses that need same-day care.
Cancer care
Oncologists and care teams at Ascension Illinois Cancer Center deliver compassionate, personalized cancer care focused on you.
Cancer care in Illinois
Cancer is personal — so is the way we care for you at Ascension Illinois Cancer Center
About cancer care at Ascension Illinois
A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. At Ascension Illinois in Chicago, Hoffman Estates and Elk Grove Village, Illinois, you’re supported from the start. After diagnosis, you’ll meet with a multidisciplinary team, including a cancer care navigator. We’ll help you build a personalized care plan with the goal of getting you back home to your daily life.
At Ascension Illinois in Chicagoland, your cancer care team is part of a national network of oncology specialists, sharing best practices and the latest in cancer care knowledge and research — bringing advanced cancer care closer to home.
Multidisciplinary cancer care team
- Gastrointestinal pill camera
- Genetic cancer screening, testing and counseling
- Minimally invasive breast biopsy
- Scalp cooling program
- Support programs and resources
- Brachytherapy
- External beam radiation
- Gamma Knife® radiosurgery
- Precision radiation therapy
- Radiation therapy
- Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiation therapy
- TomoTherapy®
- Y-90 liver embolization
- Clinical trials
- Chemoembolization (TACE)
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone therapy
- Immunotherapy and advanced targeted drug therapy
- Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy)
- Breast reconstruction and reshaping
- Endoscopic procedures for head, neck and GI cancers
- Mohs dermatologic skin surgery
- Robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery
- Stem cell (bone marrow) transplant
- Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)
Multidisciplinary cancer care team
- Blood cancer and blood disorders
- Breast cancer
- Breast surgery
- Cancer rehabilitation
- Cancer screenings
- Cancer support services
- Colonoscopy screening
- Colorectal and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers
- Head and neck cancer
- High-risk breast cancer
- Lung and chest cancer
- Lung cancer screening
- Mammography
- Prostate and other urologic cancers
- Gastrointestinal pill camera
- Genetic cancer screening, testing and counseling
- Minimally invasive breast biopsy
- Scalp cooling program
- Support programs and resources
- Brachytherapy
- External beam radiation
- Gamma Knife® radiosurgery
- Precision radiation therapy
- Radiation therapy
- Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiation therapy
- TomoTherapy®
- Y-90 liver embolization
- Clinical trials
- Chemoembolization (TACE)
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone therapy
- Immunotherapy and advanced targeted drug therapy
- Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy)
- Breast reconstruction and reshaping
- Endoscopic procedures for head, neck and GI cancers
- Mohs dermatologic skin surgery
- Robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery
- Stem cell (bone marrow) transplant
- Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)
Get a second opinion on your cancer diagnosis or care plan
Get the confidence and peace of mind that your doctor and care plan are right for you. It's easy to get a second opinion at an Ascension Illinois Cancer Center. We can review your medical records and healthcare history to answer your questions and discuss care options.
When you’re facing a new cancer diagnosis or deciding on a surgical or therapeutic treatment plan, there’s a lot to think about. Our cancer specialists can provide a second opinion, based on our experience and as part of a national team.
Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records on your behalf, so they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.
Benefits of our cancer care approach
When you come to cancer centers and clinics at Ascension Illinois, cancer nurse navigators, oncologists and multidisciplinary care teams deliver comprehensive, innovative and personalized oncology care for the whole you, including your emotional health:
- Convenient cancer screenings and biopsy procedures near you: Diagnosing cancer at an early stage, when it’s easiest to treat, can positively impact survival rate and quality of life. That’s why Ascension Illinois strives to provide preventive screenings close to home that fit your schedule.
- Compassionate medical oncology care: Your cancer specialists and care teams work together to deliver customized medication therapies (chemotherapy and other medications) to help target cancer cells that grow and divide quickly.
- Multidisciplinary care teams: In addition to cancer specialists, your care team includes a cancer nurse navigator. We help manage your appointments, connect you with resources and answer questions so that you can focus on healing. Your specialists are part of a national team, sharing best practices to help find the best way to treat your type of cancer — from simple to complex and rare cancers.
- Experienced surgical oncologists and care teams: Ascension Illinois cancer surgeons use advanced surgical techniques, including minimally invasive robotic surgery, to remove as much cancer as possible while preserving healthy tissue.
- Immunotherapy: By clearing away the surface proteins that hide cancer cells from your immune system, immunotherapy helps your body identify and attack those cells, just as it would a cold or a virus. This has been one of the most exciting developments in cancer treatment.
- Precision radiation therapy: Our highly trained radiation oncology specialists deliver targeted, high-precicision radiation therapy.
- Clinical trials: If you want to learn more about other possible cancer care options, talk to your doctor. You may want to ask whether cancer clinical trials are the right option for you.
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Genetic cancer screening, testing and counseling: Genetic tests can help you and your doctor better understand your risk for certain types of cancer. Ask your doctor about genetic testing and counseling to better understand your risk for developing cancer. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, your doctor may recommend genetic pathology tests to help identify genetic changes in cancer cells and tumor growth.
Call to schedule an appointment:
- Chicago - 847-755-3273
- Elk Grove Village - 773-665-8070
- Hoffman Estates - 847-952-7929
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Support services: Your cancer care team provides support from nutrition education, counseling, support groups and yoga to spiritual care and cancer rehabilitation therapy. At Ascension Illinois, our healing gardens and chapels are always open to patients and your loved ones. We offer supportive care and activities for the whole you. Call 844-952-HOPE (4673) to learn more.
- Financial aid counselors
- Nutritionalists
- Oncology trained pharmacists/ pharmacy support
- Patient are caregiver support groups
- Palliative care specialists
- Social workers
- Transportation to and from appointments and valet parking
- Infusion therapy/ infusion centers
- Virtual care/ telehealth appointments
This service requires a referral
To learn how to get a referral, call:
- Ascension Saint Joseph Chicago — UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center - 773-665-9920
- Ascension Alexian Brothers — Cancer Center - 847-981-3576 (press 3)
- Ascension Saint Alexius - Cancer Center - 847-981-3576 (press 3)
If your doctor is referring you, they can use these same phone numbers to get everything set up.
Ascension Saint Joseph -Chicago
2900 North Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL 60657 PH: 773-665-9920
Ascension Alexian Brothers
800 Biesterfield Rd
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Ph 847-981-3576
Ascension Saint Alexius
1555 Barrington Rd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60173 Ph: 844-952-4673
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or call 911.
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