SACT | PMGH Cancer Care

Types of SACT

Chemotherapy is used in different ways and at different times. These include:

Before surgery or radiation therapy to shrink tumors. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
After surgery or radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy.
As the only treatment. For example, to treat cancers of the blood or lymphatic system, such as leukemia and lymphoma.
For cancer that comes back after treatment, called recurrent cancer.
For cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, called metastatic cancer.

Administration of Chemotherapy

Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. Many drugs require injection directly into a vein. This is called intravenous or IV chemotherapy. Treatment takes a few minutes to a few hours. Some IV drugs work better if is given over a few days or weeks.
Oral chemotherapy. Some drugs are taken by mouth. They can be in a pill, capsule, or liquid. This means that it can be picked up at the pharmacy and take it at home. Oral treatments for cancer are now more common. Some of these drugs are given daily, and others are given less often. For example, a drug may be given daily for 4 weeks followed by a 2-week break.
Injected chemotherapy. This is when chemotherapy is received as a shot. The shot may be given in a muscle or injected under the skin.
Chemotherapy into an artery. An artery is a blood vessel that carries blood from your heart to another part of your body. Sometimes chemotherapy is injected into an artery that goes directly to the cancer. This is called intra-arterial chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy into the peritoneum or abdomen. For some cancers, medication might be placed directly in the abdomen. This type of treatment works for cancers involving the peritoneum. The peritoneum covers the surface of the inside of the abdomen and surrounds the intestines, liver, and stomach. Ovarian cancer is one type of cancer that frequently spreads to the peritoneum.
Topical chemotherapy. Some types of chemotherapy are available in a cream form that is applied on the skin.

The SACT patient pathway