Chemotherapy

This information is about chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy is treatment for cancer.

Chemotherapy uses strong medicines to kill cancer.

The word ‘chemo’ also means chemotherapy.

Having chemotherapy can feel scary. You can ask your doctor questions about anything you do not understand.

There are many kinds of chemotherapy medicines.

Each person has different medicines. This is because some medicines work better for some types of cancer.

You may have one medicine or several medicines.

There are different ways to have chemotherapy.

One way is through a vein in your arm. We call this intravenous (IV) chemotherapy.

Sometimes you have chemotherapy through a vein in your chest.

You may also have chemotherapy as tablets that you swallow.

You usually go to the hospital or treatment centre for chemotherapy.

You may have treatment for a few weeks or a few months. This will depend on the chemotherapy medicines you are having.

Your medical oncologist will tell you how many times you will have chemotherapy.

Different health professionals will look after you.

A doctor called a medical oncologist plans the chemotherapy.

A chemotherapy nurse will give you the chemotherapy medicines.

You will have a blood test before you start chemotherapy. They take blood using a small needle.

Having a blood test and having chemotherapy will not hurt.

You sit in a comfortable chair and wear your own clothes.

It can take a few minutes or a few hours to have chemotherapy. It is different for everyone.

Having chemotherapy can be boring. You can listen to music, read or play a game on your phone.

You can bring someone with you.

You can usually go home on the same day.

Your doctor will keep checking to see how the treatment is working. Sometimes they might change your treatment.

Some people feel sick when they have chemotherapy. We call this a side effect.

Most people do not get all the side effects.

Side effects usually start a few days after you have chemotherapy.

The doctor will talk to you about side effects. They can suggest ways you can feel better.

Chemotherapy may make you feel very tired.

Some chemotherapy drugs make it hard to poo. We call this constipation.

You may have runny poo. We call this diarrhoea.

Chemotherapy might make you feel like vomiting. We call this nausea.

You might get sores in your mouth.

Food may taste different. You may not enjoy eating as much.

Some chemotherapy medicines do not change your hair very much.

Some chemotherapy medicines make your hair fall out.

If your hair falls out, you can:

• wear a wig
• wear a headscarf
• leave your head uncovered.

Your hair will grow back when you stop chemotherapy.

You may find it hard to focus and remember things.

We call this chemo brain or brain fog.

Chemotherapy may make it more likely to get a cold or flu.

If your temperature goes over 38°C, you have a fever.

If you have a fever, call your cancer treatment team.

If you feel very unwell, call 000 for an ambulance.

The ambulance will take you to hospital.

It might take a few weeks or months for side effects to stop.

Exercise and eating healthy food can help you feel better.

You might worry about cancer and side effects.

You can talk to:

• a doctor
• your family or friends
• a counsellor.

Family and friends can help people with cancer in different ways.

You can:

• help with daily tasks
• go to appointments
• listen and offer support.

You can ask for help too. Call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 to find out about help for carers.