PICC line: How is it used for chemotherapy?

PICC line: How is it used for chemotherapy?
What is a PICC line, and how is it used in cancer therapy?

Answer
from Timothy Moynihan, M.D.
A peripherally inserted central catheter, or PICC line, is a soft, thin, flexible tube that is inserted in a vein in your arm and threaded up into a larger vein near your heart. Ultrasound imaging may be used to help guide insertion of a PICC line. And an X-ray may be taken to verify correct placement.
When used for cancer chemotherapy, a PICC line allows for infusion of the drugs. It may also be used to deliver medications for pain management, nausea or vomiting, and hydration, as well as antibiotic agents and nutritional supplements. A PICC line may have one or more tubes (lumens) within it. Multiple lumens allow for the administration of more than one therapy at a time.
You may be a candidate for a PICC line if you must receive chemotherapy for an extended period of time or your veins don't allow easy access for therapy.
A PICC line often may be left in place for weeks or months. This reduces or eliminates the need for multiple needle insertions to deliver chemotherapy. The line may be treated with an antibiotic to reduce the risk of infection. Your doctor will tell you how to care for your PICC line. More permanent devices to deliver drugs into the bloodstream are available (infusion ports), but these require a minor surgical procedure for placement. When the treatment course is relatively short (weeks), it's often preferable to use a PICC line over a more permanent venous access device such as a port.