Colorectal (bowel) cancer – Part 5

Will I be asked to join a clinical trial?

It is important that hospitals are involved in research to help us to improve patients’ treatment and care. Clinical trials are a way of finding out which treatments are the best.

You will always be offered the best possible treatment available in our hospitals. However, you may be asked to take part in a clinical trial, using a new treatment. We know this treatment is at least as good as existing treatments, but it may be a lot better.

If you are asked to join a clinical trial, everything about the trial will be explained to you. You will be given written information and the chance to ask questions.

The decision to help in a clinical trial is always up to you. You will be given as much time and information as you need to make up your mind. Even after agreeing to take part in a trial you can still withdraw at any stage if you change your mind.

Your decision will in no way affect your doctor’s attitude towards you. If you choose not to take part, or you withdraw from a trial, you will still receive the best treatment and care available.

Whatever you decide, you can be sure we will involve you in the planning of your treatment and we will always listen to your views and take them into account.

How can I help with medical and nurse training?

It would be impossible to train future members of the health professions without the help of patients. Students can often be part of the medical and nursing team which will be treating you. One of our students may take a special interest in your treatment and care.

Student nurses work on most wards and departments. They are supervised by a qualified nurse.

During your treatment, you may be asked if you are willing to take part in a teaching session attended by a number of medical or nursing students. We hope you will agree to help.

However, if you do not wish to take part in any student training work, you can refuse without your treatment and care being affected in any way.

Contact numbers

University Hospital of North Tees

Ward 28
Telephone: 01642 382728

Ward 30
Telephone: 01642 382730

Ward 31
Telephone: 01642 382731

If you need further advice, or have any problems, please contact:

Specialist Colorectal Nurses
Telephone: 01642 624399
Monday – Friday, 9.00am – 4.00pm
Non-urgent messages can be left at any time on the answering machine.

University Hospital of Hartlepool

Specialist Colorectal Nurses
Telephone: 01429 522335
Monday – Friday, 9.00am – 4.00pm

NHS Choices
Telephone: 111 (when it is less urgent than 999)
Calls to this number are free from landlines and mobile phones or via the website at www.nhs.uk

Further information is available from:

Hartlepool and Easington Areas

Hartlepool Carers
Telephone: 01429 283095
Monday – Thursday, 9.00am – 5.00pm,
Friday, 9.00am – 3.00pm
Helpline 01429 283095
Everyday 8.00am – 10.00pm

Stockton Carers service
Telephone: 01642 524494
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sanctuary-supported-living.co.uk

National Cancer Information Services

Macmillan provides a wide range of support services, booklets and fact sheets about all types of cancer, cancer treatments and living with cancer. The range of booklets linked to colorectal cancer that may be of interest and relevant to you, which are produced by Macmillan includes:

MAC11630    Understanding secondary cancer of the liver
MAC11640    Understanding radiotherapy
MAC11619    Understanding chemotherapy
MAC11666    Cancer and older people
MAC11658    Cancer research trials
MAC11645    Cancer and complementary therapies
MAC11670    Managing cancer pain
MAC11671    Controlling the symptoms of cancer
MAC11626    Coping with advanced cancer
MAC11664    Coping with fatigue
MAC13612    Healthy eating and cancer
MAC11593    How are you feel, the emotional effects of cancer
MAC11631    Talking with someone who has cancer
MAC11673    Cancer genetics
MAC15201    Recipes
MAC14767    Sexuality and cancer (men)
MAC14768    Sexuality and cancer (women)
MAC11667    Travel and cancer
MAC5766      Talking to children and teenagers when an adult has cancer
MAC11661    Life after cancer treatment
MAC4056      Getting travel insurance

Details of the full range of information leaflets they produce and links to other cancer websites are available at Macmillan website: www.macmillan.org.uk

All these booklets are and many additional titles are available from the Cancer Information Centre at both University Hospital of North Tees and University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Please call in or telephone: 01642 383041
Alternately, you can order this information free of charge from:
www.be.macmillan.org.uk

Bowel Cancer UK

7 Rickett Street
London
SW6 1RU
General enquiries – Freephone: 0207 9401760
Helpline: 02089730000
Monday – Friday, 10.00am – 4.00pm
24-hour answerphone
or via the website: www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk

The Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Support Group

Perveril House
1 – 5 Mill Road
Ballyclare
Co Antrim
BT39 5DR
Freephone: 0800 018 4724
Telephone: 028 9332 4606
or via the website: www.iasupport.org

Colostomy Association

2 London Court
East Street
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 4QL
Telephone: 0800 3284257
01189 391537
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.colostomyassociation.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Support

89 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7UQ
Freephone: 0808 8080000

Macmillan Cancer-Line

Telephone: 0808 808 0000
Monday – Friday, 9.00am – 8.00pm

Macmillan Benefits Advice Line

Telephone: 0808 808 0000

Council for Complementary & Alternative Medicine

170 Gloucester Place
London
Telephone: 0207 724 9103

Department of Works and Pensions Benefits Enquiry Line

Telephone: 0345 6056055
or via the website: www.gov.uk/benefits-adviser

References

1          Ter Haar G. Safety of diagnostic ultrasound. In Meire H, Cosgrove D, Dewbury K and Farrant P, editors. Abdominal and general ultrasound. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone; 2001. p 37 – 45

2          Nelson RL, Gladman E, Baebateskovic M. Antimicrobial prophylaxis for colorectal surgery. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 5. Article No.: CD001181. DOI: 10.1002/14651858. CD001181.pub4.

3          Guidelines for the management of colorectal cancer. London: Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland; 2007. p9.

Glossary of terms

You may hear the following terms used during your treatment.

Abdomen
The part of the body containing the stomach, bowel and other digestive organs.

Acute
Sudden or short term.

Adhesion
Growth of scar tissue inside the abdomen after surgery.

Anaemia
A reduction in the number of red blood cells or haemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood.

Anastomosis
The surgical joining of two ends of healthy bowel.

Anus
Back passage.

Appliance
The pouch or bag worn over a stoma.

Biopsy
A small piece of bowel lining removed, to be examined in the laboratory.

Bowels
Another name for the intestines – the small bowel (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) and the large bowel (colon – ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid).

Cannula
A fine tube inserted into a vein in the back of your hand or arm using a small, fine needle.

Catheter
A narrow flexible tube which allows fluid to pass into or out of the body.

Chronic
Long term or slow.

Chemotherapy
A treatment against cancer using special drugs.

Colectomy
Removal of the bowel by surgery. Partial colectomy is the removal of a part of the bowel.

Colitis
Inflammation of the colon.

Colon
The large bowel.

Colonoscopy
A test that allows the inside of your bowel (back passage) to be seen on a television screen.

Colonography
A type of body scan which looks at the large bowel (colon).

Colorectal Nurse
Nurse who specialises in disease of the bowel.

Colostomy
The end of the large bowel (colon) is brought to the skin surface and stitched onto the abdomen to form an opening for the passage of faeces.

CT Scan
Computed Tomography.

CPeX Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing
This is a test to check your lung capacity using either an exercise bike or a hand crank.

Digital Examination
Passing a gloved finger into your back passage to do an internal examination of the anus and rectum.

Dilate
Stretch.

ECG
Electrocardiogram, tracing of heart rhythm.

Faeces
Bowel motions; stools; poo.

Fissure
A crack or slit in the skin, usually in the area of the anus.

Fistula
A pipe like passage that forms in the body.

Flatus
The passage of wind through the anus; commonly referred to as trumping or farting.

Gastroenterologist
A doctor specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the intestines.

Gut
The word commonly used for the digestive tract.

Ileostomy
The cut end of the small intestine (ileum) is brought onto the surface of the abdomen to form a passage for the removal of faeces.

Ileum
Lower part of the small bowel or intestine.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory disorders affecting the bowel.

MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Mucosa
The lining of the bowel.

Mucus
Clear ‘jelly like’ substance which lubricates the lining of the bowel to ease the passage of faeces.

Oncologist
A doctor who specialises in chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.

Polyp
A wart-like growth.

Prognosis
What might happen in the future to the progress of the disease.

Radiologist
A doctor who specialises in X-ray, ultrasound and other similar types of examinations and reports on the findings of these examinations to help your doctor to decide the best treatment choice for your problem.

Radiotherapy
The treatment of cancer by special X-rays.

Rectum
The lowest part of the bowel nearest to the anus.

Sigmoidoscopy
The passing of a short tube through the anus to inspect the rectum and lower part of the colon.

Stoma
The opening made through the abdomen for the passage of faeces.

Stoma nurse
A specialist nurse who is highly trained in the care of patients who have a stoma, their carers and families.

Stools
Bowel motions, faeces, poo.

Comments, concerns, compliments or complaints

Patient Experience Team (PET)

We are continually trying to improve the services we provide. We want to know what we’re doing well or if there’s anything which we can improve, that’s why the Patient Experience Team (PET) is here to help. Our Patient Experience Team is here to try to resolve your concerns as quickly as possible. The office is based on the ground floor at the University Hospital of North Tees if you wish to discuss concerns in person. If you would like to contact or request a copy of our PET leaflet, please contact:

Telephone: 01642 624719

Freephone: 0800 092 0084

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:00pm

Email: [email protected]

Out of hours

Out of hours if you wish to speak to a senior member of Trust staff, please contact the hospital switchboard who will bleep the appropriate person.

Telephone: 01642 617617

Data protection and use of patient information

The Trust has developed Data Protection policies in accordance with Data Protection Legislation (UK General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018) and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. All of our staff respect these policies and confidentiality is adhered to at all times. If you require further information on how we process your information please see our Privacy Notices.

Telephone: 01642 383551

Email: [email protected]

Leaflet feedback

This leaflet has been produced in partnership with patients and carers. All patient leaflets are regularly reviewed, and any suggestions you have as to how it may be improved are extremely valuable. Please write to the Clinical Governance team, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of North Tees, TS19 8PE or:

Email: [email protected]