Protect Cancer Patients From Infections

October marks the one-year anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)s Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients Program.

To date, more than 75,000 copies of the CDC's 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, CDCs 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 clinics 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 1 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

View the patient website, 3 Steps Toward Preventing Infections During Cancer Treatment

Learn more about CDCs new program Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients.