Cancer

This page is for you if you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with cancer. It will give general information on cancer or provide useful links to other sites for further advice.

Types of cancer

There are over 200 different types of cancer that affect us. The most common ones are:

Leukaemia
Hodgkins and Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
Tumours

For a full list of all cancers and to find out more about them see www.teenagecancertrust.org

If you have been recently diagnosed with cancer, or a friend or relative has, you will probably have lots of questions. The nurse, doctor or consultant are there to answer any questions you may have, help you talk things through and listen to you.

Remember to get support when you need it, just chatting to a friend or someone else on your ward can give you the chance to talk things through and make you feel better about things. Chilling out and taking some time out for you is also important.

Some things to expect:

You might:

Feel tired and lethargic – due to anaemia caused by lack of red blood cells
Bruise – you may bruise more easily and find that bleeding takes longer to stop. Due to lack of platelets which helps the blood to clot
Be prone to infection – due to low numbers of mature white blood cells which helps the body fight off infection
Feel aches and pains in the limbs. You may also have swollen glands in the neck, under your arms and groin.

Treatment:

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of anti cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. Some of the drugs are given on their own and some are given together (known as combination chemotherapy).

Side Effects

Lowered resistance to infection
Feeling sick
Hair loss
Bruising and bleeding
Sore mouth

But remember, your nurse, doctor or consultant are they to help you through your chemotherapy course.

Useful Links and Addresses

Useful Portsmouth City Information

St Mary’s Hospital
Milton Road
Portsmouth
PO3 6AD
02392 286000

Queen Alexandra Hospital
Southwick Hill Road
Cosham
Portsmouth
PO6 3LY
02392 286000

Specialist Nursing Team
Howard Wilford (Wilf)
02392 286000 ext 3445

The Lymphoma Association
PO Box 386
Aylesbury
Bucks
HP20 2GA
01296 619400
www.lifesite.info

Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Downs Road
Sutton
Surrey
SM2 5PT
020 8642 6011

Teenage Cancer Trust
3rd Floor
93 Newman Street
London
W1T 3EZ
020 7612 0370
www.teenagecancertrust.org