September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. VACC is dedicated to upholding excellence in vascular access. How much of a difference does that make when it comes to dealing with blood cancer? We reached out to Yeonseo “Shannon” Hong, AGPCNP-BC, MSN, RN, OCN, CRNI, VA-BC for answers…
When we talk about treating blood cancers, we often focus on chemotherapy protocols, stem cell transplants, and novel targeted therapies. However, there is an essential element that sometimes gets overlooked: vascular access. Without reliable access, none of these lifesaving therapies can be delivered safely.
Here are five reasons why proper vascular access is more than just a line placement, it’s a cornerstone of quality care in hematologic oncology.
1. Reliable Delivery of Therapy
Blood cancer patients undergo complex regimens and time-sensitive protocols; chemotherapy, immunotherapy, transfusions and more that require consistent administration. The right vascular access device ensures treatment gets where it needs to go, when it needs to, without interruptions. A single missed or delayed dose can compromise efficacy, so reliable access is non-negotiable.
2. Minimizing Complications
Extravasation, infection, and thrombosis are not minor setbacks, they can be life-threatening for immunocompromised patients. Proper device selection, placement, and maintenance dramatically reduce these risks. It’s all about safety for patients who are already vulnerable.
3. Preserving Veins for the Long Haul
Hematologic malignancies often require months or even years of therapy. Frequent peripheral sticks can quickly lead to vein damage, scarring, and loss of viable access sites. By using central venous devices strategically, we preserve peripheral veins, ensuring patients can continue to receive treatment throughout their cancer journey.
4. Enhancing the Patient Experience
Imagine undergoing cycles of chemotherapy while also enduring multiple failed IV attempts at every visit. For many patients, vascular access is the difference between a traumatic or tolerable treatment experience. Reliable vascular access minimizes needle sticks, reduces pain, and shortens infusion times, making an emotionally and physically difficult process just a bit easier.
5. Enabling Multidisciplinary Care
Blood cancer treatment doesn’t stop at chemotherapy. Patients require supportive transfusion, frequent blood draws, antibiotics, hydration, and sometimes stem cell collection. A thoughtfully chosen device supports the entire care team; providers, nurses, phlebotomists, transplant specialists, allowing them to coordinate complex care seamlessly.
In a nutshell, vascular access may not always be at the forefront of cancer treatment discussions, but it is the quiet backbone of hematologic oncology care. For nurses and clinicians, advocating for the right access device at the right time is one of the most impactful ways we can protect patients, improve outcomes, and ease their cancer journey.
About the Author
Yeonseo “Shannon” Hong, AGPCNP-BC, MSN, RN, OCN, CRNI, VA-BC is a nurse practitioner in radiation oncology at NYU Langone Health, New York. She has over a decade of oncology nursing experience, including medical oncology inpatient and outpatient in cancer center, infusion and vascular access, and holds multiple specialty certifications in oncology, infusion therapy, and vascular access. Her professional interests include nurse education, quality improvement, and advancing evidence-based vascular access practices in oncology care.
