Active symptom control

You will be seen regularly by an identified doctor or team of doctors, in a specialist clinic at the hospital, at least once every three weeks for the first 21 weeks and then every eight weeks.

At each visit you will have a physical check-up and will be asked about any symptoms that you have, and also any psychological or social issues that are affecting you.

If you have any symptoms, these will be treated with appropriate medicines such as steroids, drugs to improve appetite, painkillers, or drugs that reduce breathlessness. Radiotherapy may be used to reduce symptoms, if your doctor thinks it will help.

If you have any symptoms that are not easily controlled, you will be speedily referred to the relevant specialist, such as a pain relief service, physiotherapist or symptom control team. The aim of this type of treatment is to keep you as free as possible of symptoms and to give you the best possible quality of life.

At your first visit to the clinic you will be introduced to a specialist nurse, whom you can contact if you have any questions about the trial or your treatment, or if you notice any new symptoms developing.

CancerBACUP has sections on controlling pain and also on the different ways in which symptoms can be treated.

If you have advanced cancer there are many difficult issues to deal with and you may find CancerBACUP’s section on coping with advanced cancer helpful.