While chemotherapy is used to treat cancer, it’s a strong, cytotoxic (toxic to cells) medicine. It’s safest for people without cancer to avoid direct contact with the drugs.
Cancer nurses and doctors often wear protective gear because they are exposed to chemotherapy drugs every day. When the treatment session is over, these items are disposed of in special bags or bins.
Learn more about:
- What happens after each session?
- Is there any risk to family and friends?
- Chemotherapy safety at home
What happens after each session?
After each chemotherapy session, the drugs may stay in your body for up to a week. During this time, very small amounts of the drugs may be released from the body in your vomit, urine (wee), faeces (poo), blood, saliva, mucus, sweat, breastmilk, and semen or vaginal discharge
Is there any risk to family and friends?
You may worry about the safety of family and friends while you are having chemotherapy. There is little risk to others (including children, babies and pregnant women) because they aren’t likely to come into direct contact with any chemotherapy drugs or body fluids.
The safety measures listed here are recommended for you, as well as for people who are providing care or who have close contact with you during the recovery period at home.
If you have questions, talk to your treatment team or call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 to speak with a qualified professional
If you smoke or vape, aim to quit before starting treatment. Quitting smoking can improve your treatment results and reduce the impact of side effects. It’s not always easy to quit, but the support is available. See your doctor or call Quitline on 13 QUIT (13 78 48). Download the MyQuitBuddy app to track your progress.
→ READ MORE: Chemotherapy safety at home
Find information on chemotherapy in Arabic, Greek, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Video: What is chemotherapy?
Watch this video to learn more about chemotherapy (Open Settings 
to turn on auto-generated subtitles in your language).
Podcast: Making Treatment Decisions
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Prof Desmond Yip, Senior Staff Specialist, Department of Medical Oncology, The Canberra Hospital, ANU School of Medicine and Psychology, ANU College of Health & Medicine, The Australian National University, ACT; Gillian Blanchard, Nurse Practitioner, Calvary Mater, Newcastle, NSW; Ken Colbert, Consumer; Laura Collins, Clinical Dietitian, GenesisCare, WA; Karen Gray, Consumer; Kate Lucking, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Louise Moodie, Director of Dietetics, Mackay Hospital and Health Service, QLD; Dr Shivanshan Pathmanathan, Medical Oncologist, Townsville Cancer Centre, Townsville University Hospital, QLD; Dr Marissa Ryan, Acting Consultant Pharmacist (Cancer), Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD; Jayne Watson, Clinic Nurse Consultant, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC; Stephanie Webster, Consumer.
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