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Home chemotherapy is a viable alternative to hospital treatment

Compliance, satisfaction, and quality of life of patients with colorectal cancer receiving home chemotherapy or outpatient treatment: a randomised controlled trial

Editorial: Home delivery: chemotherapy and pizza?

Home chemotherapy is a safe and acceptable alternative to hospital treatment for patients with colorectal cancer that may improve compliance with treatment, according to a study in this week's BMJ.

Of 87 patients receiving chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, 42 were treated at an outpatient clinic and 45 at home, over a 12-month period. The two groups were similar in terms of age, sex, site of cancer, and disease stage. Home chemotherapy had no effect on patients' quality of life. However, compliance with treatment and patient satisfaction, particularly with regard to nursing care, were higher in the home treatment group. Furthermore, home chemotherapy was not associated with an increased use of health services such as primary care or emergency departments.

Although these results may not apply to newer or more complicated chemotherapy regimens, this study contributes to the assessment of home care for cancer patients and has shown that home chemotherapy could be advantageous for patients by increasing satisfaction and compliance with treatment, conclude the authors.

Contacts:

Josep M Borras, Cancer Prevention and Control Unit, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Spain Email: jmborras@ico.scs.es

Josep R Germà, Department of Pharmacy, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Spain Email: jrgerma@ico.scs.es

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