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Cancer treatment—systemic therapy agent or protocol, text X[X(149)]

Data Element Attributes

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Help on this termData Element
Short name:Help on this termSystemic therapy agent or protocol
METEOR identifier:Help on this term561301
Registration status:Help on this term

Health, Standard 08/05/2014

Definition:Help on this termThe systemic therapy agent or protocol administered during the course of treatment for cancer, as represented by text.
Data Element Concept:Help on this termCancer treatment—systemic therapy agent or protocol
Value Domain:Help on this termText X[X(149)]

Value domain attributes

Representational attributes

Representation class:Help on this termText
Data type:Help on this termString
Format:Help on this termX[X(149)]
Maximum character length:Help on this term150

Data element attributes Help on this term

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

Systemic therapy agents are drugs that travel through the bloodstream and reach and effect cells all over the body. They are administered orally or intravenously.

Each systemic therapy agent or protocol used during the treatment of the cancer should be recorded.

The name of each systemic therapy agent or protocol given as treatment is recorded regardless of whether the course of treatment is completed as intended, and regardless of the intent or timing of the treatment.

Oral systemic therapy agents normally given on an outpatient basis should also be included.

Systemic therapy agents may be administered as single-agent treatments or as a combination of drugs administered according to a prespecified regimen or protocol. A protocol is a precise and detailed plan for therapy that includes the type, quantity, method and length of time of taking the drugs required for any treatment cycle.

A combination of drugs may be known by acronyms but since details of drugs and acronyms may vary it is recommended that the name of each agent be recorded.

When recording systemic therapy protocol names, eviQ should be used wherever possible. eviQ Cancer Treatments Online is a point of care clinical information resource that provides health professionals with current evidence based, peer maintained, best practice cancer treatment protocols and information. It was developed and is maintained by the Cancer Institute NSW.

If a single agent is being used or a protocol is not included in eviQ, then the full, generic name of any agent should be recorded preferably using the Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT), or if necessary, the Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH) or MIMS. If a generic name is not available because the drug is experimental or under patent protection, record the brand name.

The eviQ protocol identifier number should be recorded separately in the data element Cancer treatment—systemic therapy agent(s) or protocol, eviQ protocol identifier, NNNNNN.

Systemic therapy agents are encompassed in the treatment modalities chemotherapy, immunotherapy and hormone therapy administered for the treatment of cancer.

A patient may receive treatment with a protocol that includes different types of systemic therapy agents, for example, a chemotherapy agent and an immunotherapy agent.

Targeted therapies (treatments that use drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells) using a chemotherapy agent are included. Other targeted therapies, such as monoclonal antibody therapy, are recorded in the data element Cancer treatment—other cancer treatment, text [X(150)].

Do not code prednisone as hormone therapy when it is administered for reasons other than chemotherapeutic treatment. Only record prednisone as hormone therapy when administered in combination with chemotherapy such as MOPP (mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone) or COPP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone).

Tumour involvement or cancer treatment may destroy hormone-producing tissue. Hormone replacement therapy will be given if the hormone is necessary to maintain normal metabolism and body function. Hormone replacement therapy should only be recorded as part of a subsequent course of treatment and not the initial course of treatment.
Collection methods:Help on this termThis information should be collected from the patient’s medical record.
Comments:Help on this term

Note the distinction between the administration of systemic agents or drugs and systemic therapy procedures that affect the hormonal or immunologic balance of the patient.

The collection of specific treatment information is useful to evaluate patterns of care, the effectiveness of different treatment modalities, and treatment by patient outcome.

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this term
Cancer Australia
Reference documents:Help on this term

American College of Surgeons 2002. Facility Oncology Registry Data Standards (FORDS), 2009 revision. Commission on Cancer

Stedman TL 2006. Stedman's medical dictionary. 28th edition. Maryland: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Standard Cancer Treatment and Management Pathways Program, Cancer Services and Education Division. eviQ Cancer Treatments Online. Cancer Institute NSW

The National Clinical Terminology and Information Service (NCTIS) 2011. Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT). Sydney: National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA). AMT releases are provided every month and are available from the NCTIS Secure Website

Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH). Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd

MIMS Medicines Information. St Leonards, New South Wales: UBM Medica Pty Ltd

Relational attributes

Related metadata references:Help on this term
Supersedes Cancer treatment—systemic therapy agent or protocol, text X[X(149)]

        Health, Superseded 08/05/2014

See also Cancer treatment—chemotherapy completion date, DDMMYYYY

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

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

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

See also Cancer treatment—chemotherapy start date, DDMMYYYY

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

See also Cancer treatment—hormone therapy completion date, DDMMYYYY

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

See also Cancer treatment—hormone therapy start date, DDMMYYYY

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

See also Cancer treatment—immunotherapy completion date, DDMMYYYY

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

See also Cancer treatment—immunotherapy start date, DDMMYYYY

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

See also Cancer treatment—systemic therapy agent or protocol, eviQ protocol identifier NNNNNN

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014

Implementation in Data Set Specifications:Help on this term
Chemotherapy for cancer cluster

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014


Hormone therapy for cancer cluster

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014


Immunotherapy for cancer cluster

        Health, Standard 08/05/2014


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