Anthracycline drugs are used in combination chemotherapy regimens to increase the survival rates of people with breast cancer. However, epirubicin hydrochloride, a widely used anthracycline drug, can damage the venous network of the arm and cause long-term complications when administered through a cannula. The use of central venous access devices, such as peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), can mitigate these complications, but this option is not always discussed with patients at an early point in their treatment pathway.

This article describes a service improvement project that offered patients with breast cancer who received vesicant chemotherapy a choice between a PICC and a cannula as early in their treatment as possible. Evaluation of the project showed that patients preferred PICCs and that this has improved their experience of care and potentially reduced the risk of complications associated with cannula-administered vesicant chemotherapy.