Updated August 04, 2014.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Chemotherapy drugs are used to fight many different types of cancer. If your loved one is taking chemo either by mouth or intravenously, these drugs are excreted through tears, urine, stool, and even vomit for days after the treatment. Due to the presence of chemo drugs, this waste is biohazardous and can cause adverse effects if you come in contact with it unprotected.
People receive chemotherapy in many different settings.
Whether your loved one is receiving chemotherapy at home or in a clinic there are precautions every caregiver must take to maintain a safe living space.
Chemo drugs are excreted during and for up to days following treatment. It is present -- albeit in trace amounts -- in all body fluids. If you are exposed to the body fluids of your loved one during this time, it is recommended to wash the area with soap and warm water for at least five minutes. Reactions to the exposure are rare, but can include redness and irritation. Furthermore, repeated exposure can cause more significant problems, so it is wise to protect yourself from the start.
Casual contact is completely okay and you can still hug and kiss your family member on chemo. The only time this is discouraged is when the family member has an increased risk for infection or you are not feeling well yourself. The immune system is weakened on chemotherapy and your loved one can get sick much easier than you or I can.
Since your toilet is the main receptacle for waste in your home, a little extra toilet hygiene will help keep things safe, especially if you have pets or small children.
Whether your loved one is male or female, it is encouraged to use the toilet sitting down to avoid splashing of waste. Following each use of the toilet, either you or your loved one should put on a pair of disposable gloves and wipe the seat clean. The toilet should also be flushed twice every time the person taking chemo uses it, to ensure proper disposal of waste. When not in use, the lid should always be kept down.
If your loved one is bedridden or incontinent (unable to control stool or urine) you will have to take extra precautions to avoid contact with feces and urine. Gloves should always be worn when providing incontinence care to protect your skin. Adult diapers that contain waste can be thrown in the normal trash, but it is encouraged that you double bag them prior to placing them in the home garbage. If you are helping your loved one use a bedpan or urinal be sure to avoid splashing the contents and pour the waste into the toilet while wearing gloves (again, flushing twice and wiping the seat in case of back splash).
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects while taking chemotherapy, so it is not unlikely that you will come in contact with this waste at some point. Use a dedicated receptacle for emesis -- not a bowl or something else that you use for cooking or food storage. An emesis basin or a larger bathing tub work well to contain the vomit. If you do not have anything else, you can put two plastic bags in a small trash can and use it only for emesis. When disposing of the waste make sure to wear gloves and gently pour it down the toilet and double flush.
Should your loved one cut themselves or start to bleed, the blood can contain chemotherapy drugs. Make sure to wear gloves while bandaging the area and double bag your gloves and any used gauze prior to tossing it in the household trash.
Unless they are soiled with any body fluids or waste, your loved ones' clothes and linens can be laundered as usual. If they do get soiled, they must be washed separately in hot water. When you cannot wash them immediately, make sure to wrap the clothes or linens in two bags and seal them until you can.
Sources:
American Cancer Society. (n.d.) Chemo Safety. Accessed online July 10, 2014.
Dana Farber Cancer Institute. (n.d.) Oral Chemotherapy Fact Sheet. Accessed online July 11, 2014.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
Chemotherapy drugs are used to fight many different types of cancer. If your loved one is taking chemo either by mouth or intravenously, these drugs are excreted through tears, urine, stool, and even vomit for days after the treatment. Due to the presence of chemo drugs, this waste is biohazardous and can cause adverse effects if you come in contact with it unprotected.
People receive chemotherapy in many different settings.
Whether your loved one is receiving chemotherapy at home or in a clinic there are precautions every caregiver must take to maintain a safe living space.
Chemo drugs are excreted during and for up to days following treatment. It is present -- albeit in trace amounts -- in all body fluids. If you are exposed to the body fluids of your loved one during this time, it is recommended to wash the area with soap and warm water for at least five minutes. Reactions to the exposure are rare, but can include redness and irritation. Furthermore, repeated exposure can cause more significant problems, so it is wise to protect yourself from the start.
Casual contact is completely okay and you can still hug and kiss your family member on chemo. The only time this is discouraged is when the family member has an increased risk for infection or you are not feeling well yourself. The immune system is weakened on chemotherapy and your loved one can get sick much easier than you or I can.
Toilet Hygiene
Since your toilet is the main receptacle for waste in your home, a little extra toilet hygiene will help keep things safe, especially if you have pets or small children.
Whether your loved one is male or female, it is encouraged to use the toilet sitting down to avoid splashing of waste. Following each use of the toilet, either you or your loved one should put on a pair of disposable gloves and wipe the seat clean. The toilet should also be flushed twice every time the person taking chemo uses it, to ensure proper disposal of waste. When not in use, the lid should always be kept down.
Caring for the Bedridden Patient
If your loved one is bedridden or incontinent (unable to control stool or urine) you will have to take extra precautions to avoid contact with feces and urine. Gloves should always be worn when providing incontinence care to protect your skin. Adult diapers that contain waste can be thrown in the normal trash, but it is encouraged that you double bag them prior to placing them in the home garbage. If you are helping your loved one use a bedpan or urinal be sure to avoid splashing the contents and pour the waste into the toilet while wearing gloves (again, flushing twice and wiping the seat in case of back splash).
Vomit and Other Wastes
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects while taking chemotherapy, so it is not unlikely that you will come in contact with this waste at some point. Use a dedicated receptacle for emesis -- not a bowl or something else that you use for cooking or food storage. An emesis basin or a larger bathing tub work well to contain the vomit. If you do not have anything else, you can put two plastic bags in a small trash can and use it only for emesis. When disposing of the waste make sure to wear gloves and gently pour it down the toilet and double flush.
Should your loved one cut themselves or start to bleed, the blood can contain chemotherapy drugs. Make sure to wear gloves while bandaging the area and double bag your gloves and any used gauze prior to tossing it in the household trash.
Bed Linens and Clothes
Unless they are soiled with any body fluids or waste, your loved ones' clothes and linens can be laundered as usual. If they do get soiled, they must be washed separately in hot water. When you cannot wash them immediately, make sure to wrap the clothes or linens in two bags and seal them until you can.
Sources:
American Cancer Society. (n.d.) Chemo Safety. Accessed online July 10, 2014.
Dana Farber Cancer Institute. (n.d.) Oral Chemotherapy Fact Sheet. Accessed online July 11, 2014.
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