Hello,

I wondered if anyone could help answer a few queries? My Dad is starting treatment tomorrow for stage 3A rectal cancer. He is booked in for 5 weeks of radiotherapy every day from Monday to Friday with a break a weekends and at the same time taking capecitabine chemotherapy pills every day. He says that he is unlikely to experience side effects until a week or so into treatment. I just wondered from anyone else's experience whether this is correct or do side effects come on sooner? I think he's in denial about the whole diagnosis still. My sister and I live quite far away so I want to make sure we are there for him when he starts to feel bad but he keeps saying that we won't need to come for a few weeks, but I don't know if that is just wishful thinking.

Another major anxiety I have is that he has angina. Although it is has been under control for years I'm terrified that he won't survive this intense 5 weeks of treatment because his heart won't cope. I was wondering if anyone had experiences of chemo/radiation with heart conditions?

Any advice would be much appreciated. I am so scared of seeing him suffer and in pain soon, as he still seems normal and just want to know more about what and when to expect.

Thanks so much.