Taking oral chemotherapy at home

Your cancer treatment may include taking oral chemotherapy (chemo) at home. These are drugs you take by mouth to treat cancer. They may be tablets or capsules that you swallow.

It's very important to follow the instructions you are given by the pharmacist on your healthcare team. Make sure you understand:

• how much your dose is
• when you should take each dose
• the order you should take the drugs in (if you're given more than one drug)
• what to do if you miss a dose
• what to do if you vomit after taking your medicine

It’s also important for you to store and handle your drugs safely by doing the following:

• Keep drugs out of reach of children and away from light, heat and moisture.
• Swallow tablets or capsules whole. Don't cut, chew or crush them.
• Wash your hands immediately after handling the drugs.
• Return any drugs that don’t get used to your pharmacy so they can be destroyed safely.

You might be worried about side effects when taking oral chemotherapy at home. Talk to your pharmacist or someone on your healthcare team about what to expect. It can also be helpful to take notes about how you feel after you take your drugs.