Outpatient chemotherapy infusions or injections are given in an 8 bed ward by very experienced nursing staff.
We also administer intravenous iron and immunoglobulin replacement therapy in the same facility.
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) is a form of cancer treatment that involves the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells.
Chemotherapy stops or slows the growth of cancer cells which rapidly grow and divide, but it can also harm the cells that line your mouth, intestines and hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.
Depending on the type and stage of the cancer, chemotherapy may:
Cure cancer : When chemotherapy destroys cancer cells to the point that your doctor can no longer detect them in your body and they will not grow back.
Control cancer : When chemotherapy keeps cancer from spreading, slows its growth, or destroys cancer cells that have spread to other parts of your body.
Ease cancer symptoms (Palliative care) : When chemotherapy shrinks tumours that are causing pain or pressure.
Although chemotherapy can be used as the only treatment for cancer, using it in conjunction with radiation therapy, biological therapy and surgery, can have the following advantages:
Make a tumour smaller before surgery or radiation therapy.
Destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery or radiation therapy.
Help radiation therapy and biological therapy work more effectively.
Destroy cancer cells that have come back or spread to other parts of the body.
Chemotherapy is a serious treatment for a serious condition.
Therefore, it is important that patients are well prepared before beginning therapy.
Patients will undergo a series of tests to help determine if they’re healthy enough for chemotherapy.
These tests will include a heart examination and blood tests to determine the health status of the patient’s liver.
When preparing for chemotherapy, consider the following:
Prepare :
Prepare your house. Do laundry, stock up on groceries, and do other tasks you may be too weak to do after your first appointment.
Arrange :
Arrange for any help you might need. Getting a friend or family member to help with household chores or caring for pets or children can be extremely beneficial.
Make arrangements for work. Most people can work during chemotherapy, but you may want to be put on a lighter workload until you know what types of side-effects you may be experiencing.
Anticipate side effects :
If infertility could be a side effect and you want to conceive a child, you may want to store and freeze sperm, eggs, or fertilized embryos.
You may want to purchase head covers or wigs if hair loss is a possibility.
Support :
Begin therapy or join a support group. It can also help calm any fears you may have about treatment.