Home-Based Bortezomib Self-Administration Pilot in Multiple Myeloma
A regional cancer care model, reducing travel burden, supporting patient autonomy and enabling treatment to be delivered closer to home while maintaining strong clinical oversight.
People living with cancer in regional areas often face significant challenges accessing treatment, particularly when ongoing therapy requires frequent travel to specialist cancer centres.
For patients with multiple myeloma, regular hospital visits for treatment can create a substantial burden for individuals, families and health services. To address these challenges, Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Service partnered with Latrobe Regional Health’s Gippsland Cancer Care Centre to pilot a home-based self-administration model for bortezomib, a subcutaneous treatment commonly used in multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma is a complex and chronic blood cancer requiring ongoing treatment and monitoring. Traditionally, bortezomib is administered in a clinical setting, requiring patients to attend hospital frequently. For people living across Gippsland, particularly those in more remote parts of the region, travel can be significant and time consuming.
A multidisciplinary working group of haematologists, haematology clinical nurse coordinators, chemotherapy day unit staff, oncology pharmacists and regional cancer service leaders collaborated to develop the clinical governance, education resources and support processes required to safely implement home-based treatment.
Eligible patients receive education and training from haematology clinicians before transitioning to self-administration at home, supported by ongoing clinical review and established symptom management pathways.
The pilot has demonstrated that home-based self-administration can be safely integrated into regional cancer care, reducing travel burden, supporting patient autonomy and enabling treatment to be delivered closer to home while maintaining strong clinical oversight.
The project has established a framework that will support future expansion of home-based cancer treatment models across Gippsland. Evaluation findings will inform the sustainability of the program and opportunities to extend this approach to other suitable subcutaneous therapies.
By bringing treatment closer to home, this initiative is helping to improve access, promote equity and create a patient-centred model of cancer care for people living across Gippsland.
