Radiotherapy

Hello Grams404854,

My name is Adele and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.  Welcome to our online community and thanks for posting your question.

As we are a charity and separate to the NHS, we do not have access to your medical records and can therefore only give general information and support.  For more specific information about your care, we would always recommend you ring your health care team.  In the first instance this may be your CNS (clinical nurse specialist) or alternatively the consultant’s secretary.

After you had the surgery everything they removed would have been sent to the laboratory for analysis.  This can help them determine if they have managed to remove all the cancer and if further treatment is recommended.  If you have not already received the pathology from your operation, I would suggest that you ask for this.

Radiotherapy is often given after surgery.  The aim of the treatment is often to treat any remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.  Usually, they allow a certain amount of time for the body to heal, before proceeding to the radiotherapy, as the treatment can interfere with the healing process.

When you talk with your health care team it would be worth asking how many weeks they aim to leave between surgery and commencing radiotherapy and whether they are meeting this target in regard to your care.  If you are concerned that the gap is longer than expected, we would suggest that you raise this with them and ask when they are likely to be starting your treatment.  You can also discuss your concerns with the hospital PALS team (Patient Advice and Liaison service) if the target is not being met.

If your treatment is being delayed as they are concerned about any potential impact on the healing process, this should be explained to you.

If you have any concerns about your wound, we would also suggest that you have this reviewed.  The GP or practice nurse can review you to check that the wound is healing satisfactorily.  They can also determine if there are any reasons for a delay in the healing process – for example an infection, that may need treating.

You may also find it helpful to talk to someone who has had similar experiences to you.  Our online community have forums for different cancer types and experiences.  These includes the head and neck cancer forum, which you may like to explore.

I hope this information is useful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact by email, webchat or phone, if you need further information or support.

Best wishes,

Adele

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm), send us an email or contact us through webchat.

Ref AON/JH