Common questions about chemotherapy

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, your doctors may recommend that you have chemotherapy. This is a common cancer treatment, but people often have a number of questions about it. The answers below provide some general information.

Your health care team can give you more details about your particular treatment.

How is chemotherapy given?

Chemotherapy is usually given into a vein. This is called intravenous or IV chemotherapy. It is sometimes given in other ways, such as tablets you swallow (oral chemotherapy), a cream you apply to the skin, or injections into different parts of the body. The choice depends on the type of cancer being treated and the chemotherapy drugs being used. Your treatment team will decide the most appropriate way to give you the drugs.

For more on this, see Having chemotherapy.

Why does chemotherapy cause side effects?

Chemotherapy damages cells that divide rapidly, such as cancer cells. However, some normal cells – such as blood cells, hair follicles and cells inside the mouth, bowel and reproductive organs – also divide rapidly.

When these normal cells are damaged, side effects may happen. Some people have few or mild side effects, while others may feel more unwell. As the body constantly makes new cells, most side effects are temporary.

The drugs used for chemotherapy are constantly being improved to give you the best possible results and cause fewer side effects. Many people worry about the side effects of chemotherapy but these can often be controlled.

See Managing chemotherapy side effects for more information and talk to your treatment team for tips on dealing with side effects.

Does chemotherapy hurt?

Having a needle inserted for intravenous chemotherapy may feel like having blood taken. At first, it may be uncomfortable to have the temporary tube (cannula) put into your hand or arm, but it can then be used for the rest of the chemotherapy session.

If you have something more permanent, such as a central venous access device or CVAD, it shouldn’t be painful.

You may have a cool feeling as the chemotherapy drug goes into the vein, through either a cannula or a CVAD. Some chemotherapy drugs can cause inflamed veins (phlebitis), which may be sore for a few days. It is important to let your treatment team know if this happens to you because there may be ways to reduce this discomfort or pain.

How much does chemotherapy cost?

Chemotherapy drugs can be expensive. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) covers all or part of the cost of many chemotherapy drugs for people with a current Medicare card.

You usually have to pay some of the cost of oral chemotherapy drugs you take at home. This cost is known as a co-payment.

You may have to contribute to the cost of some intravenous chemotherapy drugs. This depends on which state or territory you live in, and whether you are treated in a private or public hospital. It also depends on whether you have treatment in hospital (inpatient) or visit the hospital or treatment centre for treatment and then go home (outpatient).

Managing medicine expenses

You may have to cover the cost of some medicines yourself. If you have spent a certain amount on PBS medicines in a year, you can get a PBS Safety Net card, making these medicines cheaper for the rest of the year. Ask your pharmacy to keep a record of your spending on PBS medicines. If you use different pharmacies, ask for a printout of what you have spent on PBS medicines.

Understanding your rights and costs

You have a right to know whether you’ll have to pay for treatment and drugs and, if so, what the costs will be. This is called informed financial consent. You can ask for a written estimate that shows what you’ll have to pay.

Learn more about cancer care and your rights.

How long will chemotherapy treatment take?

How often and for how long you have chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer you have, the reason for having treatment, the drugs that are used and whether you have any side effects.

Chemotherapy before or after surgery is often given for 6 months, but sometimes longer. Maintenance chemotherapy (to prevent the cancer coming back) and palliative treatment (to control the cancer or relieve symptoms) may continue for many months or years.

If you feel upset or anxious about how long chemotherapy is taking or any of the side effects, let your treatment team know.

Can I have chemotherapy if I am pregnant?

If you’re already pregnant, it may be possible to have some types of chemotherapy. Having chemotherapy in the first trimester (12 weeks) may increase the risk of miscarriage or birth defects, but there seems to be a lower risk in the second and third trimesters (13–40 weeks).

Chemotherapy drugs may also cause premature delivery, and preterm babies can have other health issues, such as breathing problems. Talk to your oncologist or haematologist about the potential risks and benefits.

If you have chemotherapy during pregnancy, you’ll probably be advised to stop at least 3–4 weeks before your delivery date. This
is because the side effects of chemotherapy on your blood cells increase your risk of bleeding or getting an infection during birth.

Talk to your doctor about your specific situation and what is best for you and your unborn baby. In some cases, chemotherapy can
be delayed until after the baby’s birth. The treatment recommended will be based on the type of cancer you have, its stage, other ways to treat the cancer, and protecting your developing baby.

You will be advised not to breastfeed while having chemotherapy. This is because the drugs can pass through breastmilk and may harm the baby. In some situations, you may need or choose to express breastmilk during chemotherapy treatment. This milk needs to be safely discarded.

For more on this see, Cancer and pregnancy.

My oncologist wanted to start treatment as soon as possible, so my obstetrician and oncologist decided on a day to deliver my son. He was delivered safely at 32 weeks.

Lily

Where will I have chemotherapy?

Most people have chemotherapy as an outpatient during day visits to a hospital or treatment centre. Sometimes an overnight or longer hospital stay is needed. People who use a portable pump or have oral chemotherapy can usually have their treatment at home. Sometimes a visiting nurse can give you chemotherapy intravenously or by injection in your home.

If you live in a regional or rural area, you may be able to have chemotherapy at your local hospital, while a specialist supervises your care through telehealth. If you travel far for chemotherapy, you could get help with travel or accommodation costs. Your local Cancer Council may also provide transport and accommodation services.

Call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 to find out about services in your area and how to access financial assistance.

→ READ MORE: How do I prepare for chemotherapy?

Video: What is chemotherapy?

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