Treatment for cancer often involves chemotherapy drugs. These drugs must be delivered to the patient in a manner that produces the least damage to the patient's healthy cells and the least amount of side effects. Some drugs are given orally, but many are delivered in a more complex manner.
Intravenous Catheter
Chemotherapy agents may be given to the patient via a catheter placed inside an arm vein. This type of catheter is temporary and is removed immediately after drug administration or within a few days.
Implanted Port
A small port may be implanted under the skin to receive chemotherapy drugs. It is placed during surgery and can be accessed by a needle. The port can be surgically removed when all courses of chemotherapy are complete.
Central Venous Line
A central venous line can be placed in a major vein in the neck area. Drugs that would be too harmful to a smaller vein can be delivered in this manner. Depending on the type, a central line may be left in place for a period of time from a week to more than a month.
P.I.C.C. Line
A peripherally inserted central catheter is sometimes used to delivery chemotherapy drugs. Also called a P.I.C.C. line, it is inserted into an arm vein that is threaded up the arm into a larger vein. This line can be left in place for over a month.
Perfusion Therapy
According to an article in Medical News Today, perfusion therapy is being used to bathe the cancerous tumor with chemotherapy drug. The medication is heated, then delivered via a catheter to the organ, where it stays for one hour before being removed. This allows treatment of the cancer without many of the side effects of other delivery methods.
