CDC continues to protect cancer patients from infections

CDC continues to protect cancer patients from infections

CDC continues to protect cancer patients from infections

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent this bulletin at 10/25/2012 09:27 AM EDT

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October marks the one-year anniversary of CDC’s Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients Program.

To date, more than 75,000 copies of our educational resources have been accessed or distributed to help both providers and cancer patients prevent infections, but many more cancer patients and providers still need to receive these valuable tools.

To help protect these vulnerable patients, CDC’s Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients program provides tools and resources to help both clinicians and patients prevent infections. This initiative includes a Basic Infection Control and Prevention Plan for Outpatient Oncology Settings. The plan can be used as written or tailored to a clinic’s needs. CDC also has a Web site to help patients gauge and reduce their risk for infection. Visit the site at www.preventcancerinfections.org.

Each year more than one million cancer patients receive cancer treatment in an outpatient oncology clinic. Despite advances in cancer care, infections remain a major cause of hospitalization and death among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. In fact, more than 60,000 cancer patients are hospitalized each year due to infection. Learn how to better prevent infections:

View the Basic Infection Control and Prevention Plan for Outpatient Oncology Settings