A Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programme (also known as a Chemotherapy Programme) is an Anti-Cancer Drug Programme, which is a CLINICAL INTERVENTION. 

A Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programme is the pre-planned sequence of treatment of Chemotherapy that may include one or more Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Regimens.

If the PATIENT’s clinical situation changes, then subsequent treatment constitutes a new Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programme. 

• Where a curative programme is completed successfully but the PATIENT subsequently develops recurrent disease, further treatment will constitute a new Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programme.

• Where a palliative treatment programme achieves the desired response but the PATIENT subsequently relapses requiring further treatment this will constitute a new Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programme.

For example, a PATIENT may receive four months of a taxane drug, the disease is thought to have stabilised and the treatment is stopped.  Two months later progressive disease is identified and the PATIENT is started on the Capecitabine drug, this constitutes a new Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programme.

• Where a palliative treatment programme fails to achieve the desired response and is discontinued, with the formulation of a new treatment plan, further treatment will constitute a new Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programme.

For example, where a PATIENT remains continuously on Chemotherapy for a prolonged period, having a sequence of palliative regimens each in an attempt to control disease this would constitute a series of Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programmes, as it was not a planned sequence.

Note: In the management of the majority of adult solid tumours, the Chemotherapy Programme and Chemotherapy Regimen will be the same.  Particularly in the management of haematological and paediatric tumours, two or more recognised Chemotherapy Regimens may be given concurrently or sequentially and constitute a single Chemotherapy Programme.

This supporting information is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
alsoknownas	Chemotherapy Programme
plural	Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Programmes