Head and Neck Cancer Services
This leaflet has been designed to give you and your family information about what to expect next:
Within the next 7 to 10 days:
You will receive an appointment to come in and have a hickman line placed
- A hickman line is a long tube inserted into your chest to give chemotherapy drugs
- It is inserted in the xray department under local anaesthetic
- Chemotherapy unit nurses or district nurses will care for this tube
On day 1:
- You will be in the chemotherapy day unit for a long day
- You will be given two chemotherapy drugs
- And sent home with a drip attached (5FU)
On day 3:
You will return to the department to have the drip changed (5FU)
On day 5:
You will return to the department to have the drip disconnected (5FU)
The process will then start again on day 21.
You will be reviewed regularly by your consultant, usually every three weeks, for each cycle.
Usually, three 21 day cycles of chemotherapy are given and then a CT scan will be required to assess how your cancer is responding to the chemotherapy treatment.
You will get the results of your scan at your next appointment with the consultant to then plan what happens next with your treatment.
Your head and neck specialist nurse will give you Macmillan chemotherapy drug information sheets on these three drugs.
Contact us
If you require further information please contact:
- Macmillan Head & Neck Specialist Nursing Team
Tel: 01642 835702
Email: [email protected] - Speech and Language Therapist Team
Tel: 01642 854039
Email: [email protected]
Patient experience
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you wish to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Department who will advise you on how best to do this.
This service is based at The James Cook University Hospital but also covers the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, our community hospitals and community health services.
To ensure we meet your communication needs please inform the Patient Experience Department of any special requirements, for example; braille or large print.
T: 01642 835964
E: [email protected]