The Supportive Cancer Care Research Unit was established over 10 years ago as a health services research unit supported in part by CCO and the Ontario MOHLTC. The unit is affiliated with McMaster University and is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of investigators and a research staff of over 10 individuals located at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton.

The primary goal of the unit is to conduct pivotal research in the area of supportive cancer care and more recently in other important areas of cancer services. Supportive cancer care has been defined as the provision of necessary services to meet the physical, informational, psycho-social, and practical needs of persons living with or affected by cancer.  It includes care for patients at all stages of the cancer trajectory from early diagnosis, treatment, to follow-up and palliative phases.