Analysis of a Questionnaire Survey regarding Current Conditions against Exposure to Anticancer Drugs and Reports of Cancer Chemotherapy at Outpatient Departments in Japan

Abstract

[Background] Medical staff have many occasions to be exposed to anticancer drugs (ACDs) in the process of performing cancer chemotherapy. Although guidelines for the safe handling of ACDs have been published, actual measures against exposure to ACDs differ between hospitals, and no surveillance data regarding the conditions of each hospital in relation to performing chemotherapy in Japan are available. [Methods] To understand current measures against exposure to ACDs and problems related to cancer chemotherapy at outpatient departments, we conducted a questionnaire survey on doctors, pharmacists, and nurses in 10 leading hospitals for cancer chemotherapy in Japan. [Results] Responses were received from all 10 institutions. The hospital pharmacists prepared all ACDs for outpatients in each institution. All hospitals took basic measures against ACD exposure, such as using personal protective equipment and penetration-resistant waste containers. Conditions against exposure to ACDs generally improved between 2012 and 2015, especially in terms of conveyance of ACDs and use of a closed-system drug transfer device. However, no measures linking ACDs with administration routes or injection sites were commonly taken in any of the hospitals in 2015. [Conclusions] Conditions against ACD exposure improved between 2012 and 2015, possibly because new guidelines were issued. To improve measures for ACD exposure in Japan, preparing more appropriate manuals and offering more opportunities to medical staff for continuing education are considered important.