‘During pandemic, home chemo helped’

Mumbai: A few homecare providers, too, offer chemotherapy at home. “It makes economic sense as well as the patient can save up to 20% to 25% of the chemotherapy bills of hospitals,” said Vivek Srivastava of HealthCare At Home, which claims to have done over 900 cancer procedures at home in metro cities. As chemotherapy can cost up to Rs 5-6 lakh in some cases, a 25% saving is substantial, he added.Chemotherapy, like surgery and radiotherapy, is a form of cancer treatment that involves oral drugs, injections or IV drips. A senior doctor with a corporate hospital in north Mumbai said, “Many hospitals offer pre- and post-chemo care at home, but it’s not advisable to undergo chemotherapy outside a hospital setting.”Dr Shripad Banavali, director (academics) at the country’s premier cancer care hub, Tata Memorial Centre in Parel, said, “As doctors, we have seen patients develop anaphylactic (a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction) reaction to a drug or the need for a crash cart.” Daycare centres offering chemotherapy is an option as they have some medical infrastructure but not at home, he added.But the pandemic emerged as a game-changer; many delayed their chemotherapy as they couldn’t travel to cancer hospitals typically located in bigger towns. This prompted Dr Manish Singhal from Apollo Hospital, Delhi, to offer chemotherapy at home. “I reached out and ensured 500 sessions in this period,” he said. Patel said, “To be safe, we will not offer chemotherapy at home to patients with gastro-intestinal and blood cancers.’’
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