[Outpatient clinic in Saitama Cancer Center]

The achievements of the Outpatient Clinic Center in Saitama Cancer Center from April 1999 to March 2000 were reanalyzed, and their characteristics are discussed. Outpatients used the Outpatient Clinic Center a total of 9,862 times. The treatments and procedures were 923 blood transfusions, 4,308 infusions without anticancer drugs, and 4,409 consultations from outpatients. In addition, a total of 4,036 chemotherapies were performed in this outpatient setting. Fifty-seven percent of the chemotherapies done by the Pulmonary Section contained the new agents of docetaxel, irinotecan, vinorelbine and gemcitabine (206, 187, 72 and 135 times, respectively). Irinotecan began to be used in outpatient settings after the use of the Oral Alkalization and Control of Defecation was initiated (Proc ASCO 18: 492a, 1999). These drugs were safely given to outpatients. No paclitaxel was used in our Outpatient Clinic Center because of the difficulty of its premedication in Japan, indicating the necessity of development of a new and simple premedication.