Having systemic therapy
To help you prepare for systemic therapy, please watch our video:
If you have any questions about preparing for your treatment, please talk to your cancer care team.
Before you start systemic therapy, you may need to have some tests to make sure you are ready for treatment or to help your cancer care team decide on the best treatment for you. Your cancer care team will talk to you about any tests you might need.
Before starting systemic therapy, make sure your immunizations are up to date. This includes the flu vaccine.
For more information about the flu and COVID-19 vaccines:
Keep a list of any medications and supplements you are taking. Share this list with your cancer care team. Some medications do not work well together or they may affect your cancer treatment. If your medications change, tell your cancer care team.
Systemic therapy can affect your fertility (your ability to get pregnant, stay pregnant or get someone else pregnant). There may be things you can do to protect your fertility. Some of these things need to be done before treatment. If this is important to you, talk to your cancer care team before you start your treatment.
Advance care planning (ACP) involves thinking about and writing down your wishes and instructions for your health. It includes choosing the people you want to make decisions for you, if you cannot speak for yourself.
ACP is a type of life planning, like writing a will or saving for retirement. The best time to make an advance care plan is when you are healthy and can speak for yourself.
For more information, talk to your cancer care team and visit: Advance Care Planning
When having cancer treatment, it is important that you or your partner do not get pregnant.
Cancer treatments, like radiation and systemic therapy (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone or targeted therapy) may damage eggs, an embryo (very early part of pregnancy), a fetus (unborn baby), or sperm.
If you can get pregnant, your healthcare team will offer to do a pregnancy test before treatment starts. This test is done with your agreement.
If you think you might be pregnant at any time before or during your cancer treatment, tell your cancer care team right away.
Once you and your medical oncologist have decided that you are ready for treatment, your first treatment will be scheduled. You will get a call letting you know the time of your first treatment. If your treatment is only pills that you swallow, we will call you with an appointment time to meet with a BC Cancer pharmacist.
Most types of systemic therapy are delivered at a BC Cancer regional centre or a hospital/clinic near your home. You may be referred by your medical oncologist to a hospital or clinic closer to your home. This way, you will not have to travel to get treatment.
If you need to travel for treatment, talk to your cancer care team. You can also visit our Transportation & Lodging page.
We usually give systemic therapy in one of four ways:
- A needle attached to a tube is put into your vein. The drug treatment travels through the needle into your vein.
- If you get treatment this way, we will give you an appointment date and time. A nurse will give you the treatment. The nurse will also talk with you about your treatment and any side effects you may have.
- IV treatment can take anywhere from several minutes, to several hours, to a full day. It depends on your treatment.
- If your treatment will take many hours, consider bringing items to stay comfortable:
- Headphones, a smart phone or tablet, a charger for your device.
- Books, magazines, or e-reader
- A blanket, sweater, slippers/warm socks and a toque or hat
- Water bottle and snacks
- Some patients may go home with a continuous IV infusion pump. This is a portable pump that is connected by a tube to a needle in your vein. It allows you to have your treatment at home. This way, you do not have to stay at the hospital or clinic.
- Not all IV drug treatments can be delivered this way.
- Information for people with a pump that delivers medications (INFUSOR)
- Some drug treatments are pills that you swallow.
- If you get treatment this way, we will give you an appointment date and time to meet with a BC Cancer pharmacist. The pharmacist will explain your treatment, talk about side effects and give you the pills you need.
- If you get treatment this way, a nurse, or another
member of your cancer care team, will give you an injection. This is when a
needle is put into a part of your body, such as your arm, and the drug
treatment is injected.
- Information for people who have to give themselves subcutaneous injections (injections below the skin)
Some people may get treatment in a way not listed above. These are less common. For example, some people may get eye drops. Your cancer care team will explain your treatment and answer your questions.
