[Our outpatient cases for home anti-cancer chemotherapy using a CV port and a portable pump system]

We report our outpatient cases for home anti-cancer chemotherapy using a CV port and a portable pump system. A total of 119 patients with advanced and recurrent cancer were performed at an outpatient clinic or provided home anti-cancer chemotherapy since December 1996 until December 2005. Of these patients, 18 patients were provided home anti-cancer chemotherapy using a CV port and a portable pump system (5 with gastric, 4 colonic, 2 rectal, 1 lung, 1 hepatic, 1 duodenal, 2 breast, and 2 pancreatic). Fifteen patients had died, and 3 patients are alive and undergoing continuous therapy. The response revealed 3 cases with partial response, 13 cases with no change and 2 cases with progressive disease. No severe side effects were seen, and no troubles of catheter and port were experienced as well. Not only the treatment of outpatients for home anti-cancer chemotherapy was effective and maintained the patient's QOL, but also contributed to a marked decrease of medical costs compared to admission therapy.