Bengaluru: As the cases of cancer continues to rise in Bengaluru and across Karnataka, hospitals are increasingly shifting chemotherapy delivery to daycare centres, with nearly 80% of patients now receiving treatment without overnight admission. This marks a steady decline in inpatient chemotherapy over the years.Daycare chemotherapy centres are designed for short-duration treatments, allowing patients to return home the same day while reducing hospital costs and easing bed occupancy. Vasantha (name changed) took all her six chemotherapy sessions at the daycare centre of a private hospital. “At the age of 70, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and after the surgery in Sept 2025, I was advised to take a few cycles of chemotherapy. I chose to get it in a daycare centre as it meant I could get quality rest in the comfort of my home,” she said, adding it was also more financially viable for her as most of the cost was covered under insurance.In June 2025, Karnataka govt established district daycare chemotherapy centres (DDCCs) in 16 district hospitals to reduce the patient load at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO), the state’s premier cancer care centre. Since then, 451 patients have received 1,341 chemotherapy cycles at these centres. “These centres operate on a hub-and-spoke model, and any complications or queries are escalated to KMIO,” said Dr Raghunandan, deputy director, non-communicable diseases, health department.KMIO is also supporting the DDCC at Mysuru District Hospital, where 32 patients have undergone 112 chemotherapy cycles so far. “The centre is particularly preferred by patients from outside Bengaluru. Many begin treatment at KMIO and continue subsequent cycles in Mysuru. Patients from Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, and Kodagu frequently access this facility,” said Dr Naveen T, director of KMIO. Doctors attribute this shift to advancement in cancer therapy. “More patients are opting for daycare treatment because of better tolerability, shorter infusion times, lower infection risk, cost-effectiveness, and minimal disruption to daily life,” said Dr Murali Subramanian, director of daycare clinics and senior medical oncologist at HCG Cancer Hospital.Dr Amit Rauthan, HOD and consultant – medical oncology, immunotherapy and precision medicine at Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road, said: “We have around 32 beds in our daycare centre and at least 30 are occupied daily. Except for about 10% of complex cases like sarcoma or leukaemia, and another 10% of patients apprehensive about side effects, most receive chemotherapy exclusively in daycare settings.” Inset:Shifting to day care80% of chemotherapy now delivered in daycare centres16 district daycare chemotherapy centres (DDCCs) set up across Karnataka since June 2025451 patients took 1,341 chemo cycles at DDCCs
