Objective: To compare chemotherapy given at home with outpatient treatment in terms of colorectal cancer patients' safety, compliance, use of health services, quality of life, and satisfaction with treatment.
Design: Randomised controlled trial.
Setting: Large teaching hospital.
Participants: 87 patients receiving adjuvant or palliative chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.
Interventions: Treatment with fluorouracil (with or without folinic acid or levamisole) at outpatient clinic or at home.
Main outcome measures: Treatment toxicity; patients' compliance with treatment, quality of life, satisfaction with care, and use of health resources.
Results: 42 patients were treated at outpatient clinic and 45 at home. The two groups were balanced in terms of age, sex, site of cancer, and disease stage. Treatment related toxicity was similar in the two groups (difference 7% (95% confidence interval -12% to 26%)), but there were more voluntary withdrawals from treatment in the outpatient group than in the home group (14% v 2%, difference 12% (1% to 24%)). There were no differences between groups in terms of quality of life scores during and after treatment. Levels of patient satisfaction were higher in the home treatment group, specifically with regard to information received and nursing care. There were no significant differences in use of health services.
Conclusions: Home chemotherapy seemed an acceptable and safe alternative to hospital treatment for patients with colorectal cancer that may improve compliance and satisfaction with treatment.