Chemotherapy drugs and safety

The types of drugs used for chemotherapy are strong. They can remain in the body for up to a week after treatment. You can then pass them out through your body's fluids. Friends and family can visit while you are having chemotherapy. This includes children and pregnant women. You must you follow these safety precautions though:

Put down the lid of the toilet seat when flushing to avoid splashing
Make sure that when you wash any clothing or bedding soiled with body fluids it is thorough and in a separate load. Wear rubber gloves when handling soiled clothes or linen
Body fluids or chemotherapy medications may spill. If so, wear rubber gloves, soak up with paper towel, and wipe with soapy water and a disposable cloth. Then rinse it well with water
Seal used gloves and cleaning cloths in a bag before throwing them away
Rinse well with soap and running water if chemotherapy drugs touch your skin. Irritation may then occur and fail to resolve itself within an hour. Contact the hospital if that should happen
Use protection for any sexual intercourse and avoid pregnancy
Do not breast feed
Don't crush or break chemotherapy tablets
Store chemotherapy medications as directed by your treating team. Do not store them straight with other medications
Seal empty medication containers in a plastic bag. Return that bag with the containers to your hospital or pharmacy for disposal

For more information about safety during chemotherapy, speak to your treating team.

Types of chemotherapy drugs

There are many types of chemotherapy drugs that we use to treat many types of cancer. Some of the chemotherapy drugs we use are below. More information about the chemotherapy or other treatments you are receiving is available. Speak to your doctor, nurses or pharmacist if you would like to know more.

Chemotherapy	Description
5FU Folinic Acid (Roswell Park) and 5FU Folinica Acid (weekly)	Chemotherpy drug 5 Fluorouracil and folinic acid (used to increase activity of 5FU) used in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
ABVD - Adriamycin - Bloemycin, Vinblastine and Dacarbazine	A combination of Doxorubicin (also called Adriamycin) used in the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
AC-P	Combination of Doxorubicin and Cyclophophamide, followed by Paclitaxel used in the treatment of breast cancer.
AC	Combination of Doxorubicin (also called Adriamycin) and Clyclophosphamine used in the treatment of breast cancer.
AD	Combination of Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) and dexamethasone used in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
BEACOPP	Combination of Bleomycin, Etoposide, Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) Cyclophophamide, Vincristine (Oncovin), Prendnisolone and Procarbazine used in the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
BEP	Combination of Bleomycin, Etoposide and Cisplatin (Platinum) used in the treatment of testicular cancer.
Carboplatin / 5-Flurouracil	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of various cancers.
Carboplatin / Etopsodie	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of various cancers.
Carboplatin / Paclitaxel (also known as Taxol®) - 3 weekly gynecological	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of gynecological cancers.
Carboplatin / Paclitaxel (also known as Taxol®) - 3 weekly	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of various cancers.
Carboplatin / Paclitaxel (also known as Taxol®) - Weekly combined RT lung regime	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of lung cancer in combination with radiotherapy treatment.
Carboplatin / Pemetrexed (Alimta®)	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of mesothelioma.
Carboplatin	Used to treat people with various types of cancers.
CEF (oral)	Combination of Cyclophosphamide, Epiribucin and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) used in the treatment of breast cancer.
CF	Combination of Cisplatin and 5Fluorouracil (5FU) and is used in the treatment of cancer of the oesophagus and some other types of cancer.
CHOP	Combination of Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine (also called Oncovin) and Prednisolone used in the treatment of some types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Cisplatin / Etoposide NSCLC	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of some non-small cell lung cancer. It is given in combination with radiotherapy treatment.
Cisplatin / Etoposide SCLC	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of some small cell lung cancer. It may be given in combination with radiotherapy treatment.
Cisplatin and Pemetrexed (also known as Alimta®)	Combination of chemotherapy used as a treatment for people with mesothelioma.
Cisplatin / Vinorelbine	Combination of chemotherapy used as a treatment for people with lung cancer.
Cisplatin	Used in the treatment of various types of cancer.
CMF (oral)	Combination of Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate and 5 Fluorouracil (5FU). Used in the treatment of breast cancer.
CVP	Combination of Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine and Prednisolone used in the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Dacarbazine	Used in the treatment of melanoma and some other cancers. It is sometimes called DTIC.
Docetaxel (also known as Taxotere®)	Used in the treatment of various types of cancer and the treatment of some breast cancers.
Doxorubicin (also known as Adriamycin)	Used in the treatment of various types of cancer.
E-CMF	Combination of Epirubicin followed by Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and used in the treatment of breast cancer.
ECF	combination of Epirubicin, Cisplatin and 5Fluorouracil (5FU) used in the treatment of stomach and oesophageal cancers.
FC	Combination of Fludarabine and Cyclophosphamide used in the treatment of some types of leukaemia.
FEC	Combination of 5-Fluorouracil (also known as 5FU), Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide and is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
FOLFIRI	Combination of 5Fluorouracil (5FU), Folinic Acid (leucovorin) and Irinotecan used in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Modified FOLFOX	Combination of Folinic acid (also called leucovorin), 5Fluorouracil (5FU), and Oxaliplatin used in the treatment of colorectal cancer. It is called modified FOLFOX as the chemotherapy drugs are given in a slightly different (simplified) way to other FOLFOX regimes.
FOLFOX4 and FOLFOX6	Combination of Folinic acid (also called Leucovorin), 5Fluorouracil (5FU), and Oxaliplatin used in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Fotemustine	Used in the treatment of melanoma.
Gemcitabine and Carboplatin	Combination of chemotherapy used in the treatment of various types of cancer.
Gemcitabine	Used in the treatment of many types of cancer.
Infusional 5FU (concurrent RT)	5Fluorouracil (5FU) in combination with radiotherapy is used in the treatment of many types of cancer.
Irinotecan	Used in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Liposomal Doxorubicin (also known as Caelyx®)	Used in the treatment of some types of cancers.
Mitomycin C and 5Flurouracil (5FU)	Combination of chemotherapy drugs used with radiotherapy used in the treatment of anal cancer.
Paclitaxel (also known as Taxol®)	Used as a treatment for various types of cancer
Pemetrexed (also known as Alimta®)	Used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma.
TC	Combination of Docetaxel (also known as Taxotere®) and Cyclophosphamide used in the treatment of breast cancer.
TCH	Combination of the chemotherapy drugs Docetaxel (also known as Taxotere®) and Carboplatin. The monoclonal antibody Trastuzumab (also known as Herception®) which uses the natural immune system to kill tumour cells. It is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
Topotecan	Used in the treatment of various types of cancer.
Xelox	Combination of oxaliplatin and capecitabine (Xeloda®) used in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

We also use some therapies that may be used with your chemotherapy or alone to treat disease. These are not chemotherapy drugs; however, they are usually delivered in the same ways, most commonly in the Day treatment Unit. These include:

Treatment	Description
Monoclonal Antibodies	Molecules that mimic the natural antibodies that act as part of your body's immune system to fight infection, germs, and foreign invaders. They target cancer cells in different ways to chemotherapy.
Bevacizumab	Used in the treatment of several cancers, including colorectal and breast cancer. It is usually used in combination with chemotherapy.
Cetuximab (Erbitux®)	Used in the treatment of several cancers, including colorectal and cancers of the head and neck. May be given in combination with chemotherapy, or alone.
Rituximab (Mabthera®)	Used in the treatment of some types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukaemia.
Trastuzumab (Herceptin®)	Used in the treatment of breast cancer. Herceptin attaches itself to the HER2 protein. This is found in high amounts on the surface of some breast cancers.
Biological Therapies	The use of a derivative of living organisms, the living organism themselves of a synthetic version of these to treat cancers.
Bortezomib (Velcade®)	A proteasome inhibitor used in the treatment of Multiple Myeloma.
Interferon	Interferons are naturally occurring proteins that help stimulate the body's immune system when a foreign substance is detected in the body (like an infection). They are used to stimulate the immune system and reduce the ability of cancer cells to protect themselves.

Who can I call for help about chemotherapy drugs and safety?

In the case of a MEDICAL EMERGENCY CALL 000

You can speak to medical or nursing staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Peter Mac.

Monday to Friday, between 8 am and 6 pm, call: Day Therapy on (03) 8559 5330

Outside these hours (evenings, weekends, and public holidays)

Call (03) 8559 5000
Ask for the Patient Services Manager

Please have your hospital PUR number ready when you call the hospital. This is your unique Patient Unit Record number.

Cancer Council’s 13 11 20 is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and staffed by experienced cancer nurses. They supply emotional and practical support. This support is available for:

Those affected by cancer
Their carers
Their loved ones

Location

Day Therapy

Level 3, 3C Day Therapy
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
305 Grattan Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Contact

Day Therapy

Phone: (03) 8559 5308

Who can I call for help about chemotherapy drugs and safety?

Location

Day Therapy

Contact

Day Therapy

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