Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy at Springfield Hospital

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells in your body. It can be used both before and after surgery and is sometimes given at the same time as radiotherapy. Because cancer cells can break away from the main tumour, circulate round the body and start forming a secondary cancer somewhere else, doctors often recommend chemotherapy to give you the best chance of eliminating all these cancer cells.

Ramsay hospitals offers a range of screening and diagnostic procedures at a time convenient to you, and also offers treatment for some of the most common types of cancer. We offer the support of multi-disciplinary teams who will be working together to ensure you get the care which is right for you. 

When is chemotherapy given?

Chemotherapy is normally given as a course of treatment lasting several months. In many cases, chemotherapy will be given on certain days with a gap before it is restarted. This allows your body to recover between the doses.

What is the length of chemotherapy treatment?

You should discuss with your doctor how long the course will be and whether it can be adjusted - or example, if you have particular commitments on fixed dates.

How do chemotherapy drugs work?

Your doctors will recommend a drug or sometimes a mix of drugs for you, taking into account your type of cancer, how advanced it is and your general health. There are many types of chemotherapy drugs, the chemotherapy drug will be mixed specially for you and will be given either intravenously, as an injection or as pills or capsules.

What to expect before, during and after chemotherapy treatment?

Before your treatment starts you are likely to have a number of tests, including blood tests and specialist ones looking at liver and kidney function. This is to give your doctors a baseline so they can see how the chemotherapy is affecting your body. These tests may be repeated several times during your course of treatment.

Most chemotherapy will be given as a day case in hospital. You should expect to be at the hospital for some hours and might want to bring a book! The treatment itself should be comfortable and you will be well looked after. Usually you are able to go home on the same day but occasionally the length of chemotherapy treatment can vary and require an overnight or longer stay in hospital. Your doctor will discuss this with you in advance. In some cases, we may be able to deliver ongoing chemotherapy treatment in your home.

Very occasionally your treatment may have to be delayed because blood or other tests indicate you are not ready to receive another dose. Normally you would be asked to come back a few days later so you can be retested and the chemotherapy restarted.

What are the side effects of chemotherapy?

You have probably heard a great deal about the side-effects of chemotherapy. While many people do suffer side-effects, these are often mild and can usually be controlled. Your doctors and nurses will always discuss the potential side-effects with you and will help you to cope with them.

Side-effects can include:

  • nausea and sickness
  • tiredness
  • soreness in your mouth and a change in your sense of taste
  • increased vulnerability to infection due to the effect of the chemotherapy on your bone marrow
  • hair loss
  • skin changes
  • changes to the liver, kidney, heart and lung function - but your doctors are likely to be monitoring these very carefully.

What does chemotherapy cost?

If you decide to pay for your treatment, Ramsay offer an all-inclusive Total Care package, where a single one-off payment at a pre-agreed price, delivering direct access to all the treatment you need for complete reassurance. You can also spread the cost of your treatment with finance options available. The cost of chemotherapy depends on your local Ramsay facility, to find out more information click here.

Springfield Hospital Specialists

You're in control

Flexible payment options

to suit you

payment-plan-icon

0% Payment Plans

Spread the cost of your treatment with fixed, monthly payments over a time period to suit you.

Find out more
self-funding-icon

Self-funding Patients

We offer an alternative range of ways to pay, so you can choose which one best suits you and your finances.

Find out more
medical-insurance

Private Medical Insurance

Use your private medical insurance to fund your treatment through our simple referral process.

Find out more

Related Treatments

Myeloma

Myeloma Treatment at Ramsay Health Care, including symptoms, types and treatments for Myeloma.

Find out more

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy as a cancer treatment - how it works, what's involved, procedure, approach  - Ramsay Health Care UK

Find out more

Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer Treatment at Ramsay Health Care, including symptoms, types and treatments for different skin cancers.

Find out more

Latest from Springfield Hospital

Ramsay Health Care UK Hospitals Awarded Gold NJR Providers

Ramsay Health Care UK Hospitals Awarded Gold NJR Providers

Ramsay Health Care UK are celebrating after being named as a Gold National Joint Registry (NJR) Quality Data Provider after successfully completing a national data quality audit programme for 25 of their hospitals offering orthopaedic procedures.

Find out more
View More
Paying for yourself?

Get in touch

Need some advice on a treatment price or booking an initial appointment?

We're here to help.

BOOK ONLINE

Or send us a message...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Important Information

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material, contained on this website is for educational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

No warranty or guarantee is made that the information contained on this website is complete or accurate in every respect. The testimonials, statements, and opinions presented on our website are applicable to the individuals depicted. Results will vary and may not be representative of the experience of others. Prior patient results are only provided as examples of what may be achievable. Individual results will vary and no guarantee is stated or implied by any photo use or any statement on this website.

Ramsay is a trusted provider of plastic or reconstructive surgery treatments as a part of our wrap-around holistic patient care. Our personal, friendly and professional team are here to support you throughout to ensure the best possible care. All procedures we perform are clinically justified, and we do not offer treatments that are purely aesthetic / to change your appearance.

Ramsay Health Care UK is not currently recruiting for any roles based outside of England. If you are interested in applying for a role with Ramsay Health Care UK, please note that all available positions are advertised exclusively on our official website: https://www.ramsayhealth.co.uk/careers. Be cautious of individuals or organisations that approach you directly for remotely-based roles. Always verify the authenticity of the job offer and be careful with whom you share your personal information. For more information and advice on employment fraud, please visit: https://www.ramsayhealth.co.uk/careers/recruitment-fraud