A Northwood cancer centre is now offering some patients new self-administration treatment which could cut hospital visits by 80 per cent.
Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC) announced the new service on June 14.
It is available for those being treated for HER2-positive breast cancer with a combined drug therapy that patients can administer themselves with an injection.
The hospital says this could reduce the number of hospital visits with the new drug available alongside chemotherapy or on its own.
Unlike most self-care treatment schemes, the programme being offered by the Northwood centre does not rely on a nurse coming to the patient’s home for an appointment, allowing them the flexibility to administer the injection themselves anywhere and at a time that suits them.
Patients who choose self-administration go through a comprehensive training and competency assessment with a nurse to assess their suitability.
The centre already offers self-administration treatment to all patients taking a different targeted cancer treatment called Herceptin.
Dr David Miles, a consultant medical oncologist at MVCC, said: “At a difficult time for our patients, the self-administration programme has allowed people to regain their independence and reduce their hospital visits.
“The Herceptin self-administration programme has been successful to date and patient feedback has been very positive. We hope to be able to offer this to many more patients as appropriate treatments become available.”
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