Understanding chemotherapy - Macmillan Cancer

Planning chemotherapyIf you don’t understand what you’ve been told, let thestaff know straight away, so they can explain again.Some cancer treatments are complex, so it’s not unusualto need repeated explanations.It’s a good idea to have a relative or friend with you when thetreatment is explained, to help you remember the discussion.You may also find it useful to write a list of questions beforeyour appointment. There are some example questions listedon pages 104–105.People sometimes feel that hospital staff are too busy toanswer their questions, but it’s important for you to knowhow the treatment is likely to affect you. The staff shouldbe willing to make time for your questions.You can always ask for more time if you feel that you can’tmake a decision when your treatment is first explained to you.You are also free to choose not to have the treatment. The staffcan explain what may happen if you don’t have it. It’s essentialto tell a doctor or the nurse in charge, so they can record yourdecision in your medical notes. You don’t have to give a reasonfor not wanting treatment, but it can help to let the staff knowyour concerns so they can give you the best advice.We have a booklet called Making treatmentdecisions that we can send you.15