l have had a bowel resection and have been told l need chemo how long will l havecto wait for an appointment. should it be done wothin a time scale after surgery
I am sorry to hear that you are being treated for bowel cancer and I can appreciate you want to know more about how long you will need to wait to start chemotherapy
The surgery you have is your first treatment and according to cancer waiting times this should be given within 32 days of having a cancer diagnosed.
There are no cancer waiting times to start adjuvant (after surgery) chemotherapy. However, there has been some research into this. So, hospitals will usually have their own guidance about this.
It seems from what I can see that it is recommended to start from 3 weeks to 12 weeks. However, in an individual's situation, this will also depend on how well the patient is (are they well enough to start chemotherapy after surgery), and if the wound has healed so that chemotherapy can start safely.
Do talk with your cancer team about this, they hopefully can tell you when your treatment will start.
Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.
