Ratification Date: 24/07/2025

Next Review Date: 24/07/2027

What sort of treatment will I receive?

What treatment might I need?

Contents

Introduction to treatment

The type of treatment that you receive will depend on what type of cancer you have, the size of the cancer, whether it has spread, and your health. Your medical team will choose the right treatment for you and your cancer.

Your treatment could include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, or other treatments, or a mix of different types of treatment. You might also have complementary or supportive treatment that help to make you feel better.

The treatment will be given to you in different ways, and there may be side effects of the treatment, depending on what you have.

Before starting treatment, it is helpful to understand what type of treatment you are being offered, what impact it might have on you, and how it might make you feel.

Before you begin treatment

A team of health professionals will work with you to plan the right treatment for you.

This may include an oncologist – a doctor who is an expert in treating cancer – or a surgeon who carries out operations to remove cancer. This team will work with you to come up with options for you.

You will be offered options for your cancer, and you may have lots of questions. Macmillan also has some useful questions you may want to ask.

There are things that you can do to get ready for treatment. Cancer Research UK has more information.

Types of cancer treatment

There are different types of cancer treatment, and you may be offered a combination
of these. You can find information on types of cancer treatment here:

 

You can find out information about treatments at local hospitals here:


Cancer information and help in your language

You can find information on treatments for cancer in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese traditional, Dari, Farsi, Gujarati, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu and Welsh.

The types of treatment you are offered could include:

 

Surgery

Surgery is when you have an operation to remove the cancer. You can find information about surgery here:

 

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. You can find information about chemotherapy, including how you have it here:

 

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy uses radiation (high-energy rays) to treat cancer. You can find out more about what radiotherapy is and how you have it here:

 

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy are drugs that find and attack different cells. You can find information about targeted therapy here:

Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy blocks or lowers the number of hormones in the body to stop or slow down the growth of cancer. You can find out about hormone therapy here:

 

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy uses our immune system to fight cancer. You can find out more here:

 

Stem cell and bone marrow transplants

Stem cell and bone marrow transplants are sometimes used to treat types of cancer including leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. You can find out more about this type of treatment here:

 

Clinical trials

Clinical trials are medical research involving people and they can be offered to people who have cancer. Find out more here:

 

Complementary and alternative treatments

These can be offered along with your medical treatment to help you to feel better. They can include things like hypnotherapy, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. Find out more here:

 

Supportive treatments

Supportive treatments are treatments that can be used as part of the main treatment and to manage side effects. For example, this could include drugs such as steroids.

 

Other treatments

There are other treatments that may be offered to you. You can find out more here:

Other treatments

 

Palliative care

Palliative care is used to improve quality of life when the cancer cannot be treated. You can find out more about palliative care here:

 

Side effects of treatment

There may be side effects of your treatment and it is useful to understand what these might be before you begin your treatment so you can be prepared. Macmillan offers more information here.

 

Chemotherapy side effects

You can find out information on possible side effects of chemotherapy here:

 

Radiotherapy side effects

You can find out information on possible side effects of radiotherapy here:

 

Targeted therapy side effects

View information on possible side effects of targeted therapy here.

 

Immunotherapy side effects

View information on possible side effects of immunotherapy here.

 

What treatment will I be offered?

Macmillan has an A-Z of cancer types where you can find your cancer and its possible treatments. Your medical team will be able to tell you about the specific treatment plan for you.

 

Making decisions about treatment

There will be several things you may think about when you make decisions about your treatment. You can find information about making decisions about treatment here:

 

Treatment cannot start without your consent, usually by signing a form. You can find information about this here, and an easy read version here.

 

Having treatment

Starting treatment can be a worrying time, and it can help to know what to expect, and also to plan how you will manage things when you are receiving treatment. View the Macmillan article here for more details.

 

You can also find information about how to live and cope with cancer treatment, including the side effects on the Macmillan website here and on the Maggie’s Cancer Care website here.

 

Macmillan has an online community with tips and advice from others undergoing cancer treatment to help you share your journey.

 

What should you do if you are experiencing worrying symptoms from your cancer treatment?

If you are receiving treatment for cancer and are experiencing side effects or feeling unwell you can contact the hospital Acute Oncology Services (AOS) which provides a 24/7 telephone line for patients, relatives and professionals for advice for patients who are undergoing non-surgical cancer treatment under the Oncology or Haematology team at the hospital. You should have a yellow card with the telephone number on to contact but if you do not the details below on the three Acute hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney:

 

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals has an emergency helpline for people who may experience symptoms during treatment. If you need to contact the service, please call 01603 646799.

 

James Paget University Hospitals

Emergency telephones are held by senior nurses 24 hours a day. The telephone numbers are as follows: Haematology 07786701483 and Oncology 07786701488.

You can also call the Sandra Chapman Centre (within the hospital) reception on 01493 453869 for any concerns between 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn

The Acute Oncology Nurse Specialist team: 01553 613613, extension 4558

 

 

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