Some cancer centers are providing treatments to patients in their homes. This approach has been in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many in the oncology community argue that it puts both patients and community practices at risk.
Oncologists at the University of Pennsylvania created the Cancer Care at Home program with the belief that home treatment could be safe, affordable, and better for patients. Forced to expand rapidly during the pandemic, the program has been successful — but hurdles to broader expansion remain. Read more
Currently, at-home cancer treatment is limited primarily to large healthcare organizations. The following institutions are offering home cancer treatments beyond simple injections.
"COA strongly opposes home infusion of chemotherapy, cancer immunotherapy, and supportive drugs. It is not an appropriate option for patients with cancer."
"I personally think that the way things are going, this will be the way cancer care is delivered…the idea of people having to come in to a [major cancer] center is going to be a thing of the past."
"[Cancer care at home will be a] luxury good for the affluent."
"Oncology drugs don't announce, 'Oh, this time I'm going to have a reaction.'"
"I felt completely safe."
"The point is not to substitute. It is to give patients the option of receiving treatments at home …that are safe."
"ASCO is concerned that routine use of home infusions for anticancer therapy could potentially fail to provide the safeguards to both patients and health care providers."
A list of select cancer medicines that have been administered in the home, ranging from targeted therapies to complex chemotherapy regimens