Day hospital or ambulatory or outpatient therapy represent an important part of the activity in oncology in addition to the inpatient approach.
Patients and methods: We analyse the data of the medical oncology day hospital from december 1995 to february 1996 in our institution.
Results: We collect 2661 consultants in medical oncology and 816 (31%) have been oriented to the day hospital for chemotherapy mainly adjuvant for breast cancer (68%), colo-rectal cancer (18%) or lymphoma (5%). All treatment are administered under antiemetics of setron types for 40% of the patients. We perform also transfusion of red cells or more rarely platelets. Day hospital cover also diagnostic procedures as bone marrow punctures or biopsies or therapeutic gests as pleural or lumbar punctures.
Conclusion: Ambulatory chemotherapy represent an important component in medical oncology needing an adequate organisation and team synchronisation.