An Ambulatory Care Approach to Delivery of Chemotherapy for Teenage and Young Adult Sarcoma Patients

Approximately 250 teenagers and young adults are newly diagnosed with cancer every year at University College Hospital London (UCLH), and approximately 20% of those are diagnosed with sarcomas. A Young Person Ambulatory Care unit has been established at UCLH to deliver chemotherapy treatment while supporting care in an outpatient setting.

Dr Katrina Ingley and Dr Sandra Strauss, Medical Oncologists at the London Sarcoma Service, have evaluated the safety and feasibility of this approach; by reviewing the care of 132 TYA sarcoma patients treated at UCLH between January 2020 and May 2022.

The results showed that chemotherapy was delivered safely in Ambulatory Care, with no increased toxicity and infrequent, manageable unplanned admissions. Patient and staff feedback was excellent, with patients feeling empowered, whilst providing better use of the services available at hospital.

To read the full article regarding the audit please click here and to read about experiences of TYA patients treated in Ambulatory Care at UCLH please read the following article - Four mothers, four sons and the friendship that carried them through treatment