Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy
Radiotherapy Mask
The video will show you the process you will go through to have a radiotherapy mask made. If you have any questions/concerns about this, you can discuss them with the team at the Cancer Centre. Click here to watch a short video.
Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy – Chemoradiotherapy
Chemoradiotherapy is sometimes used in the treatment of advanced head and neck cancers. It may be used:
- to treat cancers that cannot be removed with surgery
- to treat cancers in harder-to-reach areas, such as the nasopharynx or throat
- when surgery could cause severe changes to speech or swallowing.
Also, sometimes chemotherapy and radiotherapy are given together after surgery. This is called adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. If you need adjuvant treatment, your specialist team will decide whether radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is best for your situation.
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. Cytotoxic means toxic to cells. These drugs disrupt the way cancer cells grow and divide but they also affect normal cells. Chemotherapy is usually given as several sessions of treatment, with rest periods in between the sessions. Chemotherapy and the rest period make up a cycle of your treatment. Your cancer doctor will explain the number of cycles you need to treat the cancer.
Below are information leaflets that has been designed by the multidisciplinary team in the Cancer Centre. These will cover radiotherapy treatment and chemotherapy treatment, although you may not require both.
Resources
- www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/services/cancer/treatments/radiotherapy
- Home – Friends of the Cancer Centre
- www.belfasttrust.hscni.net/services/cancer/treatments/chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
What is immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment, it is different to chemotherapy and works in a different way. Immunotherapy works by activating your own body’s immune system to find and destroy cancer cells.
When a cancer becomes established, as part of that process cancer cells have found a way to hide from the immune system. Immunotherapy allows your own immune system to recognise cancer cells as abnormal and attack them.
Immunotherapy can treat many different types of cancer. It can be given on its own or in combination with chemotherapy. It is given in hospital, into the vein and takes approximately 1-2 hours to give.
When is immunotherapy used for people with head and neck cancer?
Immunotherapy is currently used when people have a head and neck cancer that is considered not curable or palliative in nature; if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, or has returned and is not treatable with surgery or radiotherapy.
In Northern Ireland, it can be given either before or after chemotherapy, this decision depends on a number of factors and will be discussed with you by your doctor.
At present immunotherapy is not used in patients receiving treatment aimed to cure their head and neck cancer, but there are clinical trials ongoing.