Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy - Peter Mac Cancer Centre
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| What is chemotherapy? >> | ||||||
| How will I receive chemotherapy? >> | ||||||
| How long will I have chemotherapy for? >> | ||||||
| What are the possible side effects of chemotherapy? >> | ||||||
| What is multidisciplinary care? >> | ||||||
| What is multimodality treatment? >> | ||||||
| Where will I have chemotherapy treatment? >> | ||||||
| Your first chemotherapy visit >> | ||||||
| Can I have breakfast before I come? >> | ||||||
| What should I wear? >> | ||||||
| What should I bring with me? >> | ||||||
| Am I allowed to drive after my treatment? >> | ||||||
| Will chemotherapy treatment be painful? >> | ||||||
| Contact us | ||||||
| What is chemotherapy? | ||||||
| Chemotherapy is the use if drugs to treat cancer. It works by destroying or slowing the growth of cancer cells, or making them sensitive to radiation. Chemotherapy mainly affects fast-growing cells, like cancer cells. Other fast-growing cells can be affected such as the cells that cause hair to grow. There are many different types of chemotherapy drugs. You may have one chemotherapy drug or two or more drugs – often referred to as combination chemotherapy. This will depend on the type of cancer you have. Your medical oncologist will talk to you about which chemotherapy treatment is best for you. Chemotherapy is mostly given intravenously (into a vein). The main advantage of chemotherapy is that putting the drugs into your bloodstream allows for treatment of the entire body. In this way, any cancer cells that may have broken away from the original cancer can be treated. However, the drugs will also affect healthy cells, especially fast-growing cells and as a result, you may experience side effects. You will have regular appointments with your doctor throughout your treatment to discuss how your treatment is going. You may be monitored throughout your treatment through scans, x-rays and blood tests to check your progress and health. | ||||||
| How will I receive chemotherapy? | ||||||
| Chemotherapy drugs come in different forms – most are given into the blood stream via an intravenous drip, some are pills to be taken orally, some are given through injections into a muscle or under the skin, and some skin cancers can be treated topically (by applying a chemotherapy cream to the skin). While they may be given differently, chemotherapy drugs travel in your bloodstream to reach cancer cells in your body. | ||||||
| How long will I have chemotherapy for? | ||||||
| Usually chemotherapy is given as a period of treatment followed by a break. This is called a cycle of treatment. The number of treatments and their frequency will depend upon the type of cancer you have and the drugs you require. The length of your treatment will depend on how the cancer responds to the drugs and may take several months. | ||||||
| What are the possible side effects of chemotherapy? | ||||||
| Because chemotherapy kills fast-growing cancer cells, it can also harm fast-growing healthy cells. As a result, you may experience side effects during treatment. Different chemotherapy drugs may cause different side effects. The most common side effect is fatigue (feeling run-down and tired). Others may include nausea and vomiting, hair loss, sore mouth, infection, changes in concentration and loss of appetite. Fortunately, most side effects go away in time. Many side-effects can be prevented or treated and your healthcare team at Peter Mac will help you manage any side effects throughout your treatment. Please let your team know of any side effects that are concerning you and we can discuss options to help you. Rarely side effects may be longer lasting or even more unusually, permanent. Your treatment team will advise you about the potential for these and discuss what to look out for to help you monitor any signs or symptoms. | ||||||
| What is multidisciplinary care? | ||||||
| During your chemotherapy treatment you will be cared for by a multi-disciplinary team, which is a team of experts who plan the best treatment for you. They will work closely together to ensure you receive the best available treatment. Your team may consist of: • medical oncologists or haematologist • specialist nurse coordinators or practitioners • other doctors who are undertaking specialist training and research in medical oncology and haematology • specialist chemotherapy nurses • pharmacists • allied health professionals such as dietician, physiotherapist, social worker, clinical psychologist • pastoral carer. Feel free to ask your team any questions. Let them know if you have any concerns about your treatment and how you are feeling. | ||||||
| What is multimodality treatment? | ||||||
| Multimodality treatment refers to patients undergoing more than one form of treatment for their cancer. Around 40 percent of chemotherapy patients are also undergoing another form of treatment at Peter Mac, such as radiotherapy or surgery. | ||||||
| Where will I have chemotherapy treatment? | ||||||
| Most Peter Mac chemotherapy patients will receive their treatment in the Chemotherapy Day Unit as same day patients, that is, you will not stay over night at the hospital. Some chemotherapy treatments require more extended monitoring or require longer to administer and patients may need to receive their treatment as inpatients and stay at the hospital. The Chemotherapy Day Unit is on level 5 of the Tower block. When you arrive at Peter Mac, follow the yellow carpet squares to the main lifts and go to Level 5. The receptionist will greet you and our administrative staff will help you complete your admission details. On your treatment days, you may have to take a seat in our reception area until your treating nurse comes to collect you for your treatment. Our Chemotherapy Day Unit is made up of shared areas so you will be in a room with other patients having chemotherapy. The shared areas are more lively and generally help the time pass while your treatment is underway. You are very welcome to bring a family member, friend or carer with you to keep you company. We ask that only one person accompanies you as space is limited. You may also want to bring a book, music (with earphones), a laptop or some craftwork to keep you occupied. | ||||||
| Your first chemotherapy visit | ||||||
| Before you commence your treatment, you will have an appointment with one of the specialist chemotherapy nurses in the Chemotherapy Day Unit. At this time the nurse will discuss the details of your treatment with you and you will be given the opportunity to ask questions about your treatment. The nurse will also talk to you about what side effects you may experience and give you strategies to manage side effects. The nurse will show you around the treatment unit and introduce you to our staff, as well as undertake some baseline assessments that will help us plan your care. This appointment will occur two or three days before your first chemotherapy treatment. A day or so after your first treatment, you will receive a phone call from one of the specialist nursing staff to check on how you are progressing after your treatment. If you have been requested to have blood tests before your chemotherapy treatment begins, we recommend that you do this the day before your first chemotherapy appointment. Please bring your test results with you to your appointment or let the nurse know which pathology provider you attended. Your chemotherapy appointments will generally take around 1-7 hours depending on the treatment you have been prescribed. There may be a waiting period while your chemotherapy drugs are prepared for your treatment. We recommend you bring a friend or family member for company or something to occupy you while you wait. | ||||||
| Can I have breakfast before I come? | ||||||
| Yes, eat your usual breakfast. Unless your doctor has advised you otherwise, take your usual medication. | ||||||
| What should I wear? | ||||||
| We advise you to wear comfortable clothes with loose sleeves, as the nursing staff may need to take a blood test or put an intravenous (IV) drip into your arm to administer your treatment. | ||||||
| What should I bring with me? | ||||||
| As some chemotherapy can take a few hours, bring a friend for company, something to read or music to listen to. Portable CD and DVD players and movies are available on request. We provide morning tea, a light lunch, and afternoon tea (you can bring along your own food if you prefer). It would also be helpful to bring a list of any medications or over-the-counter preparations you may already be taking. | ||||||
| Am I allowed to drive after my treatment? | ||||||
| We recommend that you arrange for someone to drive you to and from your first appointment. Depending on the medications in your treatment, you may be OK to drive for subsequent visits. | ||||||
| Will chemotherapy treatment be painful? | ||||||
| In most cases the treatment is no more painful than any other injection. For some people, you may experience a cool sensation when the chemotherapy is going into your vein. If it becomes painful, please let your nurse know. After one or more treatments, an area close to the injection site may become sore. If so, please let your team know and they can avoid that area when putting in a drip for your next chemotherapy cycle. The Peter Mac volunteer service is on hand to offer you hand and foot massages to help you relax and help your veins recover. | ||||||
Contact us | ||||||
| You can call the Chemotherapy Day Unit on 03 9656 1055 8.00am to 4.30pm Mon - Fri. Alternatively you can speak to a Cancer Support Nurse 03 9656 3754 8.30am to 5.00pm Mon - Fri. You can also drop into the Cancer Information and Support Centre, located on the ground floor near outpatients. |
