The handling of antineoplastic drugs in a major cancer center.

It has long been known that many commonly used antineoplastic agents are carcinogenic. Yet most health care professionals take few precautions, if any, when handling these drugs. Recent findings suggest a possible hazard to personnel as evidenced by increased mutagenicity of urine of nurses exposed to anticancer drugs during preparation and administration of doses. Although more study is needed to determine the significance of these data, it would seem prudent to take measures to prevent any unnecessary exposure to these drugs by those preparing and administering them. The policies and procedures at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center require that chemotherapeutic drugs be prepared in a vertical laminar flow containment hood by personnel wearing sterile disposable gloves. Chemotherapeutic agents are specially labeled to ensure segregated disposal of waste, which is subsequently incinerated.