Tailoring the way patients receive treatment
Different ways of administration could help meet the diverse needs of people with cancer.
More than 19 million people are living with cancer worldwide. While medical advances may offer new therapy options, treatment days can be long and tiring for patients. This is why beyond treatment outcomes, modes of administration are an increasing focus for healthcare organisations like ours.
Infusion or injection?
For decades, most biologic cancer therapies were given intravenously (IV, via a cannula directly into a patient’s vein). In recent years, this has started to change and more medicines can also be administered subcutaneously - directly under the skin.
Other recent developments include formulations combining medicines that are commonly given at the same time, fixed-duration treatments and supporting digital applications. In addition, some treatment regimens can now be administered out of the hospital, in a community care setting or at home.
The crucial role of nurses
Nurses do not just administer treatments, they also play a crucial role in many other ways - making patients feel as comfortable as possible and helping them and their families to adapt. Often facing a heavy workload, nurses can benefit from advancements in drug administration technology, ideally helping them to be as efficient as possible.
Improving the experience of care
As we look to a future where cancer may become a chronic disease, we need to focus on improving therapy outcomes as well as offering administration options that meet the diverse needs and preferences of patients and their healthcare teams.
“In the next years, what I would like to see changing is that patients don't have to come to the hospital as much - that they just come every now and then, have the treatment, receive it, and then go back home and have a good quality of life.”
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