Hello Clive69 and thank you for getting in touch,

I am very sorry to hear that your nephew has been diagnosed with lung cancer that may have spread. It sounds as though you are very close, and this must be an incredibly difficult and worrying time for you both.

From what you have told us, it sounds as though your nephew may be having chemoradiotherapy, which is when chemotherapy and radiotherapy are given at the same time. This is a treatment that is often used for some types of lung cancer.

Radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. It is a targeted treatment, which means it is aimed directly at the cancer. The total dose of radiotherapy is divided into smaller treatments, called fractions, which are given over several weeks.

Before treatment begins, your nephew will have a planning appointment. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. During this appointment, the radiotherapy team will carefully plan his treatment and determine exactly where the radiation needs to be directed.

Once planning is complete, treatment can begin. Radiotherapy is usually given Monday to Friday at the hospital, and each appointment often takes around 15 minutes. As we are not involved in your nephew's care, we cannot say exactly how many weeks of treatment he will need, but a course of treatment is often given over 4 to 6 weeks.

Chemotherapy works differently. It is a systemic treatment, which means it travels around the body through the bloodstream. There are several different types of chemotherapy, but for lung cancer it is often given through a drip into a vein (intravenously).

Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles. For example, treatment may be given on one day in hospital, followed by a rest period of 3 to 4 weeks to allow the body time to recover before the next cycle. Depending on the individual situation, up to 6 cycles or sometimes more may be given over several months.

Unfortunately, we cannot give more detailed information because we do not know your nephew's full medical history or treatment plan. However, his treatment team will be able to explain exactly what treatment is recommended and what it is likely to involve.

I hope this information is helpful. Please do get back in touch if you have any further questions. You can also speak to one of our nurses on the helpline, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Jemma

Thanks, Jemma, for getting back to me; can I also ask if he is going to be really poorly? Going though both radio and chemo?

Hi, and thank you for getting back in touch.

Everyone responds differently to chemoradiotherapy, so it is difficult to predict exactly how your nephew will feel during treatment. The side effects can vary depending on the treatment he is having and his general health.

One of the most common side effects is fatigue, which can build up over the course of treatment. Other side effects are also possible, but it is important to remember that he is unlikely to experience all of them. His treatment team will monitor him closely and can provide treatments and support to help manage any side effects he does have.

We have more detailed information about the possible side effects of lung chemoradiotherapy on our website.

I hope this helps.

Jemma