Ports for Chemotherapy

Your oncologist may recommend that you have a port or "port-a-cath" inserted in your upper chest wall (the space between your collarbone and your breast) to make chemotherapy easier and more comfortable for you. What? More surgery? Don't panic. This is a simple, same-day procedure that doesn't require general anesthesia. You will have a chest X-ray to confirm that the port is positioned correctly. When chemotherapy is over, the port can be removed quickly in another same-day procedure.

The port is about the size of a quarter, only thicker, and will show only as a bump underneath the skin. There are several benefits to having a port:

• No need to find a vein every time you receive chemo. A special needle fits right into the port, so all you feel is the stick—not the poking, prodding, and false tries in your arm. The nurse may numb the skin first with ice or a cream, to lessen any feeling at all.
  
• A port may be especially valuable for women who might be experiencing some swelling of the arm on the side of their surgery.
  
• The medication goes right into the main blood supply entering the heart, so it can be sent quickly and efficiently to all parts of the body.
  
• Some types of chemotherapy can be very uncomfortable if injected into a vein just under your skin. The port avoids this potential discomfort.
  
• Getting blood for blood tests can usually be done through the port, decreasing the number of times you need to have a vein "stuck."