[Outpatient chemotherapy in gynecologic oncology]

Gynecologic cancers have been mainly treated by surgery and radiotherapy. Recently, many antineoplastic medications are available and chemotherapy becomes an important therapeutic method in the treatment of cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancer. Platinum derivatives, taxanes, alkylating agents and irinotecan are usually used. Because these chemotherapeutic agents have many toxicities such as myelo-suppression, hypersensitivity reaction, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the treatment was scheduled for an inpatient setting. During the recent 10 years, new chemotherapeutic agents without severe toxicity were applied and effective supportive therapies to prevent toxicity were investigated. Under these conditions, chemotherapy in an outpatient setting is available and an Outpatient Chemotherapy Center was established at Kitasato University Hospital. Patients with gynecologic cancers mainly receive weekly chemotherapeutic regimen at the Outpatient Chemotherapy Center and the number is increasing gradually. For safe and comfortable outpatient chemotherapy, it is important to control regimens and to go into partnership with co-medicals.