Herceptin alone -- always at an oncology center?

[Debbie L.]

Hi all. Our huge rural county has no oncology practice. Women must travel hours to receive chemo. From the most remote areas, travel time can be nearly 3 hours one-way, and in the winter there is the added burden of dealing with ice, snow, and road closures. I understand why chemo can only be administered at an oncologist's or chemo infusion center, but I'm wondering about Herceptin alone.

Has anyone been able to receive Herceptin (alone) that was administered outside of the traditional oncology setting? Our local hospital's outpatient surgery department, for example, administers all sorts of infusions on an outpatient basis. Why couldn't they infuse Herceptin?

Thanks in advance for your help.
Debbie Laxague

[Kellennea]

I would ask your oncologist and maybe your primary care Dr? Is your primary care Dr closer? Maybe they can coordinate the infusions?

[chrisy]

I dunno...just makes WAY too much sense! I wonder if this question has been brought to genentech? Seems to me the infusion could be mixed by a qualified pharmacist in a hospital and administered by any qualified nurse or doctor.

[StephN]

I know all the nurses in our infusion suite had to be "chemo certified." This would most likely be a requirement for Herceptin as well. But if there are some nurses who meet the requirement, and there could be an agreement about the pharmacy having a person specially trained to mix the Herceptin, maybe it could be done.

Looks to me like there are some questions to ask and if the answers meet with the drug maker's approval, maybe this will break some ice in the direction you propose, Debbie.

[AlaskaAngel]

Those who are within easy driving distance of Anchorage have access to oncology practices.

Elsewhere, if our medical practitioners didn't make the special effort to become certified to offer chemo and drugs like trastuzumab through a few small hospital ICU's and some clinics with qualified, highly trained personnel, cancer patients living in the entire remainder of the state would be a huge expense to themselves and others to transport and then house elsewhere, and would be unable to continue their jobs and lives or be anywhere near friends or family for support.

Your local medical practitioners and patients may need to seek to do the same to achieve a more reasonable and realistic solution.

AlaskaAngel

P.S. Patients here DO see an oncologist elsewhere for initial analysis and recommendations, and sometimes for complications subsequently, but for uncomplicated routine drug administration they are treated in facilities closer to their home.

[Bunty]

I might be imagining this, but I think my onc said that the time was getting closer when Herceptin will be available in pill form. If that is the case, that would be fantastic - how liberating not to have to schedule life around the 3 weekly infusion. Having said that, I'm more than happy to keep going every 3 weeks, but it's easy for me in Sydney. I hope Debbie that you find a solution to make it easier.
Cheers Marie

[dchips1]

I think they were looking at Self injecting the herceptin as an injection. Don't remember the details, but sometime this year was online.

Good Luck and warm loving prayers
Darita

[tricia keegan]

I have a friend in the UK who had a nurse adminster her herceptin at her home !!

[jellybean]

I get my Herceptin infusions on weekends, when there are not likely to be any oncologists on-site. Of course, the nurses are experienced in Herceptin infusions. Maybe someone at your local hospital could be trained to do the infusions. You also would need a pharmacist to mix the Herceptin. Good luck!