About the Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients Program

Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients is a comprehensive program focused on providing information, action steps, and tools to help reduce the risk of developing potentially life-threatening infections during chemotherapy treatment. Through the program, CDC developed the following tools—

• A Web site called 3 Steps Toward Preventing Infections During Cancer Treatment
• Basic Infection Control and Prevention Plan for Outpatient Oncology Settings

Background

Studies show that 10% of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment end up hospitalized due to infection, and every two hours a patient dies from this complication. Because of the nature of their illness, great attention to infection prevention is warranted in the care of cancer patients.

Program Materials

CDC produced materials to help promote awareness about the importance of preventing infections in cancer patients. The fact sheet is intended for patients and caregivers. The posters can be placed in patient waiting areas, staff lounges, emergency rooms, and anywhere that patients and health care providers might view them.

For Patients and Caregivers

• Out of Sight, Out of Mind poster [PDF-185KB]
  High-resolution version for printing [PDF-181KB]
• Neutropenia and Risk for Infection: What You Need to Know fact sheet [PDF-174KB]
  High-resolution version for printing [PDF-173KB]
• Prevent Infections During Chemotherapy podcast [2:52]
• Having Cancer Is Scary Enough—Don't Let an Infection Creep In health-e-card
• Someone I Love Has Cancer health-e-card

For Health Care Providers

• Emergency Room Personnel poster [PDF-401KB]
  High-resolution version for printing [PDF-9MB]
• CDC Expert Commentary: Protect Outpatient Oncology Patients from Infections by Alice Guh, MD, MPH

Buttons

You can copy and paste the code to embed these buttons and badges in your Web site, social network profile, or blog.

For Patients and Caregivers

Copy the code below for this badge:

<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/preventinfections/patients.htm?s_cid=bb-dcpc-preventinfections-001"><img src="http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/preventinfections/images/prevent_infections_button_patients_e.jpg" width="150" height="120" border="0" alt="Are you getting chemotherapy? Learn how to prevent infections." /></a>

For Health Care Providers

Copy the code below for this badge:

<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/preventinfections/providers.htm?s_cid=bb-dcpc-preventinfections-003"><img src="http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/preventinfections/images/prevent_infections_button_providers_e.jpg" width="150" height="120" border="0" alt="Help prevent infections in cancer patients. Health care providers make a difference." /></a>