A Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Regimen (also known as a Chemotherapy Regimen) is an Anti-Cancer Drug Regimen, which is a CLINICAL INTERVENTION.
Some Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Regimens have alternating repeating elements and some have consecutive sets of repeating elements. In all these cases the term "cycle" (Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Cycle) would be equally valid and help to identify the stage of progress of the PATIENT through Chemotherapy.
A Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Regimen identifies a standard or trial group of drugs given in a specific way and may include other instruction concerning the timing and parameters of treatment.
The Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Regimen title will be as agreed by the Oncology Regimen Steering Group and this will inform the OPCS-4 Guidance for Clinical Coders.
In the management of the majority of adult solid tumours, the Chemotherapy Programme and Chemotherapy Regimen will be the same. Particularly in the management of haematological and paediatric tumours, two or more recognised Systemic Anti-Cancer Drug Regimens may be given concurrently or sequentially and constitute a single Chemotherapy Programme.