Cancer treatment—chemotherapy cycles administered, number of cycles N[NN]

Guide for use:

Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that achieves its antitumour effect through the use of antineoplastic drugs that inhibit the reproduction of cancer cells by interfering with DNA synthesis and mitosis.

Chemotherapy may be administered as single-agent treatment or as a combination of drugs administered according to a prespecified regimen or protocol.

The number of cycles of each course of single agent chemotherapy, regimen or protocol administered to the patient during the initial treatment of cancer should be recorded separately. The initial course of treatment includes all treatments administered to the patient from diagnosis and before disease progression or recurrence.

The number of cycles of chemotherapy received is recorded regardless of whether the course of treatment is completed as intended, and regardless of the intent or timing of the chemotherapy.

If any part of a cycle is administered but the cycle is not completed, record as one cycle.

Oral chemotherapy normally given on an outpatient basis should also be included.

The number of cycles of targeted therapies using a chemotherapy agent is included. Targeted therapies are treatments that use drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells.

If a patient receives treatment with a protocol including both a chemotherapy agent and another systemic agent such as an immunotherapy or hormone therapy agent, record the number of cycles here.