Treatment for cancer sometimes can be given at home as well as in the hospital. Pills, intravenous (IV) chemotherapy, IV antibiotics, subcutaneous injections, and other treatments may be appropriately given at home for you. Talk with your doctor about it. It is important to take medications as prescribed, and to be alert to side effects that may occur. Usually, a home care nurse will come regularly to your home to give or check on home treatments.

What to Do

Pills:

• take pills exactly as prescribed
• you may have to get up in the middle of the night to take your pills at the correct time
• if taking pills only once a day, try to take them just before bedtime to avoid any uncomfortable side effects, such as nausea
• ask your doctor or nurse about any expected side effects, and about ways to control them (e.g., if your pills could cause nausea, should you take them before meals?)
• keep all your medications, out of the reach of children

Intravenous (IV) medication:

• a home health nurse will come to your home to give drugs intravenously (into a vein)
• see page 109 on Tubes and IV Lines for further information on care of the IV site

Subcutaneous (under the skin) therapy:

• wash hands well with soap and water before using
• administer medication as instructed by your doctor or nurse
• check to be sure that the dosage in the syringe is your prescribed dosage
• wipe area with alcohol and let dry for 30 seconds before taking injection
• use a different place on the body for each dose (the abdomen is a preferred site, but use thigh or arm if there is swelling or scarring on abdomen)
• use a site that is at least one inch away from the place you used before
• check the site for infection: redness, swelling, pain, oozing, and a temperature of over 100.5°F by mouth
• dispose of used equipment in an empty coffee can with lid, and bring full can to clinic for proper disposal

Do Not

• do not skip any medication doses
• do not be afraid to ask questions, or to call your nurse or doctor with concerns
• do not touch any needles. If you do, throw them away in a coffee can and tell clinic nurses when you return the coffee can that there is a full syringe inside.
• do not administer subcutaneous drugs over bony areas, beneath waistband, or at a red, inflamed, sore site

Call the Doctor

• if your prescription will soon need to be refilled
• if you accidentally spill or lose medication
• if any person, other than yourself, takes your medication
• if you accidentally skip a dose
• if you notice redness, swelling, drainage, pain at injection site
• if your temperature is greater than 100.5°F by mouth
• if you are experiencing uncomfortable side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or pain