Patients Taking Oral Cancer Drugs

• Store in a cool, dry place.
• Keep away from food and drinks
• Keep out of reach from children and pets
• Keep oral cancer drugs in the container from the pharmacy
• Do not mix oral cancer drugs in containers with other drugs
• Caregivers should wear disposable gloves if they need to help you take the oral cancer drug.
• When you touch your oral cancer drug, wash your hands with soap and water

• Do not flush down the toilet or throw in the garbage
• Return any unused cancer drugs or cancer drug bottles to your local hospital pharmacy. Empty pill bottles should not be recycled

Oral cancer drugs are pills that you swallow. They are just as strong and work just as well as IV drugs.

Cancer drugs kill cancer cells but can also damage normal cells

Follow the instructions below to keep everyone safe by knowing how to handle oral cancer drugs and personal body fluids.

• Oral cancer drugs stay in your body fluids for 48 hours.
• During this time your urine (pee), bowel movements (poo), vomit, blood, vaginal fluids and sperm contain cancer drugs.
• Store garbage that contains body fluids in a safe place away from pets and children.
• Use a plastic cover on your mattress for easier spill cleanup.

Pregnant women, or women who are breastfeeding should not handle cancer drugs or body fluids from someone who s taking a cancer drug. Cancer drugs may cause birth defects, and can be passed through breast milk to babies.

• Wear gloves and use paper towels. Throw away after use.
• After cleaning, wash your hands with soap and water.
• Flush body fluids down the toilet. Flush a second time.

• Wash surfaces with soap and water
• Put used paper towel in a plastic bag and tie
• it up
• Put this bag inside another plastic bag and tie
• that up (called ‘double bagging’)
• • Throw the bags in your home garbage

• ‘Double bag’ any incontinence pads,
• disposable briefs, catheter bags or stoma bags
• Throw the bag in your home garbage
• Wash bedpan or urinal with soapy water

• Wash any clothing or bedding right away
• Wash them 2 times in hot, soapy water
• Do not wash with other clothes or laundry

• If you use a bowl, empty it into the toilet
• Wash the bowl with soap and water

• Sit down to use the toilet
• Close the lid when you flush

Use a condom to protect your partner