Radiotherapy pre-treatment information

Introduction

Welcome to Addenbrooke’s oncology centre radiotherapy department

Your doctor has recommended that you undergo a course of radiotherapy. This leaflet will explain what happens next.

The Radiotherapy department is situated in the oncology centre which is located off the outpatient corridor on level 2, between the outpatient entrance and the main concourse. Parking is very limited on the Hospital site.

Click here for guidance on finding us at Addenbrookes or call the Addenbrooke's travel helpline on 01223 586655 for information.

You should have received specific information about your treatment. Please ask us if there is anything that you do not understand. Sometimes it helps to write questions down so that you don’t forget. The staff in the centre will be happy to talk to you and to help no matter how busy they may appear to be.

You will receive a letter through the post with an appointment for the oncology department to begin the planning process. The doctor may have recommended a delay before you start treatment for medical reasons or you may have requested a delay yourself due to personal commitments. Either way you should still receive a letter from us.

If you do not hear from us within two weeks, please contact us. You can call us on 01223 216634 or 01223 217525. You will speak to our reception / booking staff who will be happy to help. If you call out of hours or at a busy time when nobody is available to take your call, an answer-phone will take your message. Remember to speak clearly and give your full name and telephone number including the STD code. Someone will return your call at the earliest opportunity.

Your first appointment

Radiotherapy treatments are tailored to fit each individual patient. Your course of Radiotherapy may be administered by male or female staff. To prepare your treatment, we will need to take some X-ray pictures of you using a CT scanner. At this time, the radiographers will make some permanent marks on your skin called tattoos. These act as reference points for your treatment, and as they are permanent, you can wash as normal.

If you need a mask or shell to help you keep still during treatment, this will be done before your CT scan either in the same scanning room or in another room called the mould room.

You will also be required to have a digital photograph taken. This image is stored on your patient record on the departmental computer system and is for the purposes of assisting in the confirmation of patient identification only.

Consent

Before you start treatment you need to sign a consent form. This gives us permission to plan and give you the treatment. It is important that you understand what radiotherapy treatment involves and what side effects you can expect. This may have been discussed with you already either face-to-face or over the telephone.

Radiotherapy treatment, and the X-rays used to plan it, can harm an unborn baby. Women of childbearing age will be asked to confirm that they are not pregnant. Women who think they may have become pregnant during treatment must let the radiographers or doctors know immediately.

Planning your treatment

Usually it takes the radiographers and physics staff several days to plan your treatment. There is normally a delay of up to 2 / 3 weeks between your planning scan and your first treatment appointment.

Radiotherapy review

You will be scheduled to see your consultant, his / her registrar, or a specialist radiographer regularly during treatment, either face-to-face or over the telephone. This is to see how you are getting on with the treatment, and to sort out any problems you may develop. You will become familiar with your team of radiographers during your treatment and you can discuss any concerns you may have with them.

It is very important to us that you have all the information about your treatment that you feel you need. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff who will be only too pleased to help.

Macmillan Cancer Support has a factsheet called Radiotherapy which you can order by calling 0808 808 00 00 or information can be printed from the Macmillan Cancer Support website (opens in a new tab).

Macmillan Cancer Support also has a number of booklets which may be helpful to you. Some are available for you to look at in the department.

All can be obtained from Macmillan Cancer Support free of charge by ringing the above number or by going to their website.

Appointment times

Where possible your appointments will be selected based on your preference. However there are many factors that can influence when / where we can treat you so this might not be possible.

After you have received your appointments we sometimes make minor changes to both the time and the treatment unit. This is usually to minimise your wait in the department. If you have registered for ‘MyChart’ you will receive an email for each appointment changed.

If you would like to change your appointment time a member of the treatment team should be able to help you.

Information on car parking for patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy

Where to park

In Car Parks 1 and 2, you can park in the disabled bays on any level as they are also designated for cancer patients receiving treatment.

If you are asked for evidence please present you oncology appointment details. If you have any further questions, please speak to the staff at the customer service desks which are found on the ground level in both car parks.

Other disabled parking bays around the Cambridge Biomedical Campus are only available to blue badge holders.

Car park payments

You can take your car park ticket to oncology outpatients or radiotherapy reception to receive a daily or weekly stamp. The daily stamp enables you to be charged a discounted daily rate. The weekly stamp enables you to pay the discounted daily rate for a weekly ticket, in case you need to return within one week. Take the stamped car park ticket to the customer service desks in car parks 1 or 2 for processing. If you have any questions, please ask at oncology outpatients or radiotherapy reception.

Possible reimbursement for parking and fuel costs

Through means testing, you may be eligible for reimbursement of fuel and parking costs via a Macmillan grant. Please visit the Macmillan Information Service or ask your healthcare professional for more information.

Privacy and dignity

Same sex bays and bathrooms are offered in all wards except critical care and theatre recovery areas where the use of high-tech equipment and / or specialist one to one care is required.