Chemotherapy infusion is a method used to put fluids, including saline and drugs, into your bloodstream as a body-wide way to fight cancer. Your cancer diagnosis, staging, laboratory values, and overall health will be considered when the amount and type of drugs and pre-medications (to prevent nausea and vomiting) are ordered for your treatment. Infusions may be given in different schedules, time and length based on the type of cancer.
Since infusional chemotherapy is administered directly into the blood, every cell in your body is exposed to the drugs. Cancer cells as well as certain healthy cells may be affected. Your blood counts may change after each treatment depending on the drugs given, so you will have a test called a complete blood count (CBC) to check your white and red cells as well as other elements in your blood. If your CBC indicates problems, you may need booster shots to increase your white or red blood cells, or treatment may be withheld until they recover on their own. Ask for copies of your CBC reports and save those for your health records.
Tallahassee Cancer Institute offers chemotherapy to be given on-site at our chemotherapy infusion center. Chemotherapy is ordered, monitored by our medical oncologist and is administered by our chemotherapy registered nursing staff. We also administer hormonal therapy, targeted therapy and Iron infusion at our infusion center.