How you have chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs that you have into a vein are called intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. How you have intravenous chemotherapy depends on the drug and the type of cancer it’s treating.
Intravenous chemotherapy means having treatment into a vein. You have it either as an injection or a drip.
You can have chemotherapy drugs into a small tube called a cannula.
You can have chemotherapy into the bloodstream through a long flexible plastic tube called a central line.
A portacath is a small chamber that sits under your skin. It’s attached to a long plastic tube that goes into a large vein close to your heart.
A PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) is a type of central line. You can have chemotherapy and other drugs through it.
Chemotherapy pumps give a controlled amount of drugs very slowly into your bloodstream.
Last reviewed: 16 May 2024
Next review due: 17 May 2027

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