Cancer: One man's journey with a chemotherapy backpack.

A 61-year-old man with aggressive double-hit lymphoma received outpatient dose-adjusted EPOCH chemotherapy delivered continuously via a portable pump carried in a backpack at The Ottawa Hospital, and was later told he should consider himself in complete remission.

A 61-year-old business investor began feeling unwell last spring and was later diagnosed with lymphoma. Further testing identified a rare, aggressive subtype called double-hit lymphoma. He received a personalized regimen, dose-adjusted EPOCH, delivered continuously through a portable pump carried in a backpack while treated as an outpatient at The Ottawa Hospital. Months after completing treatment he received an email saying he should consider himself to be in complete remission. Key points: - Diagnosis: a rare, aggressive form of blood cancer known as double-hit lymphoma. - Treatment: dose-adjusted EPOCH chemotherapy delivered continuously using a portable pump carried in a backpack while the patient remained an outpatient. - Care setting: The Ottawa Hospital delivered the complex treatment on an outpatient basis and emphasized personalized therapy. - Outcome: The patient was later notified that he should consider himself in complete remission. Summary: The article describes how an outpatient, continuous-infusion approach allowed complex chemotherapy to be delivered outside of long hospital stays and highlights the treating team's focus on tailoring care to individual cancers. The patient's reported remission is presented as the outcome in the story. Undetermined at this time.