Chemotherapy and Cancer Care at Home

Some chemotherapy is given by IV or as a shot, and some is a pill you take at home. When your oncologist agrees a treatment can be given at home, we send a skilled nurse from an accredited nursing agency to give it.

Chemotherapy needs careful handling. Your care team explains how to store it at home and how to throw away anything it touches. Our pharmacists are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Carboplatin: Carboplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy medicine that links strands of DNA (the cell's genetic material) together, which damages cancer cells. Approved for: advanced ovarian cancer, first treatment; ovarian cancer that has come back. Carboplatin prescribing information.
• Cyclophosphamide: Cyclophosphamide is a chemotherapy medicine (an alkylating drug) that the body turns into active forms that interfere with the growth of fast-growing cancer cells, likely by damaging their DNA. Approved for: lymphoma; multiple myeloma; leukemia; mycosis fungoides; neuroblastoma; ovarian cancer; retinoblastoma; breast cancer; minimal change nephrotic syndrome. Cyclophosphamide prescribing information.
• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin): Doxorubicin is a chemotherapy medicine (an anthracycline) that slips into the DNA of cancer cells and blocks an enzyme called topoisomerase II that the cells need to copy their DNA. Approved for: breast cancer; acute leukemia; lymphoma; wilms' tumor and neuroblastoma; sarcoma; other cancers that have spread. Doxorubicin prescribing information.
• Etoposide: Etoposide is a chemotherapy medicine that acts with an enzyme called topoisomerase II to cause breaks in the DNA of cancer cells, which stops them from dividing. Approved for: testicular cancer that did not respond to treatment; small cell lung cancer. Etoposide prescribing information.
• Fluorouracil: Fluorouracil (also called 5-FU) is a chemotherapy medicine that gets in the way of how cancer cells make DNA and RNA (the cell's genetic material), which fast-growing cells need. Approved for: colon and rectal cancer; breast cancer; stomach cancer; pancreatic cancer. Fluorouracil prescribing information.
• Oxaliplatin: Oxaliplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy medicine that binds to the DNA of cancer cells and stops the cells from copying it. Approved for: stage III colon cancer, after surgery; advanced colorectal cancer. Oxaliplatin prescribing information.
• Methotrexate: see its own page.

• Leucovorin: Leucovorin is a form of folic acid (a B vitamin) that cells can use even when methotrexate blocks folic acid, and it also increases the effects of fluorouracil. Approved for: rescue after high-dose methotrexate; methotrexate or folic acid antagonist toxicity; megaloblastic anemia from low folic acid; advanced colorectal cancer. Leucovorin prescribing information.
• Fosaprepitant (Emend for injection): Fosaprepitant is an anti-nausea medicine that the body turns into aprepitant, which blocks a brain signal (substance P at NK1 receptors) that can set off vomiting. Approved for: chemotherapy nausea and vomiting (high risk); delayed chemotherapy nausea and vomiting (moderate risk). Fosaprepitant prescribing information.
• Ondansetron: Ondansetron is an anti-nausea medicine that blocks the action of serotonin (a natural body chemical) at 5-HT3 receptors. Approved for: nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy; nausea and vomiting from radiation; nausea and vomiting after surgery. Ondansetron prescribing information.
• Neulasta: see its own page.
• Neupogen: see its own page.
• Epogen and Procrit: see its own page.

• Anastrozole (Arimidex): Anastrozole is a hormone medicine (an aromatase inhibitor) that lowers the amount of estrogen the body makes, a hormone that many breast cancers need to grow. Approved for: early breast cancer, after main treatment; advanced breast cancer, first treatment; advanced breast cancer after tamoxifen. Anastrozole prescribing information.
• Eligard: see its own page.
• Tecentriq: see its own page.

Several of these medicines carry a boxed warning, the FDA’s strongest warning. Read each medicine’s Medication Guide or prescribing information, and ask your oncologist or our pharmacists about side effects.

• Carboplatin: This medicine has a boxed warning about severe bone marrow suppression (very low blood cell counts that can lead to infection or bleeding), vomiting, and serious allergic reactions that can start within minutes of a dose.
• Doxorubicin: This medicine has a boxed warning about heart muscle damage (cardiomyopathy), new blood cancers later on, severe skin and tissue damage if the medicine leaks out of the vein, and very low blood cell counts that can lead to serious infection.
• Etoposide: This medicine has a boxed warning about very low blood cell counts (severe myelosuppression) that can lead to infection or bleeding.
• Fluorouracil: This medicine has a boxed warning about serious or deadly side effects in people with complete DPD deficiency (an inherited lack of the enzyme that breaks down fluorouracil), so a gene test is advised before starting unless treatment is urgent.
• Oxaliplatin: This medicine has a boxed warning about serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis (a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction), which can happen within minutes of a dose and during any treatment cycle.

Health plans often require prior authorization for cancer medicines. Our intake team checks your coverage and works with your oncologist’s office on the paperwork before your first delivery.

Offices can call (844) 671-2600 or fax a referral to (844) 671-2601. Use the Oncology Referral Form (PDF).