Chemotherapy & Systemic Therapy

These resources are appropriate for people who have recently had, or are going to have, chemotherapy or other forms of systemic therapy.

This page includes resources for managing side effects of treatment including:

Nausea and bowel changes
Appetite and Nutrition
Hair loss
‘Chemo Brain’
Fatigue and Sleep
Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve pain in fingers and toes)

For more resources related to your treatment, please visit All Patients or select from below:
Surgery
Radiotherapy
Hormone Therapy (endocrine therapy) COMING SOON

Nausea and Bowel Changes

NATIONAL PUBLIC TOILET APP
This app provides information on over 19,000 publicly available toilets across Australia, including accessibility, opening hours and facilities like showers and baby change and sharps disposal.
LIGHT MEAL SUGGESTIONS AND RECIPES
Recipes and snacks to help stay on top of nausea

Nutrition

THE DINNER LADIES
Sometimes actively preparing food may trigger your nausea. This service allows you to select from a menu for yourself and your family and are nutritious meals delivered.
DIETICIANS AUSTRALIA
Use the search engine to find an accredited dietician in your area

Hair Loss

LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER WORKSHOPS
The Look Good Feel Better program has been developed with the purpose of empowering those undergoing cancer treatment by equipping them with the practical skills and knowledge needed to face their cancer diagnosis with confidence.
VIDEO HOW TO GUIDES
Find out how to map out your eyebrows or to tie a headscarf!
TEMPORARY EYEBROW TATTOOS
Ultra realistic and natural, all you need is water to apply!

‘Chemo Brain’

Many people have cognitive changes before, during, and after cancer treatment. Many people describe this as a ‘mental fog’. These changes may include:

having trouble with paying attention and concentrating
thinking quickly
organising thoughts or tasks
short term memory

People suffering from ‘Chemo Brain’ should also have a look at the exercise and complementary therapy pages.

MIND CARE PLAN
The information in your Cancer Mind Plan was written by cancer psychology experts and people affected by cancer. The information you receive is based on your answers to the questions in the screening tools.

BRAIN TRAINING HQ

Just as our bodies require care and exercise over the course of life, so do our brains. BrainHQ provides the exercise your brain needs to be at its sharpest.

STRUCTURED MEDICAL PLANNER
Structured medical planner for cancer patients and caregivers. Science-backed tools to track symptoms, make decisions, and stay organized

Fatigue and Sleep

Unlike everyday tiredness, fatigue in cancer is a different experience:

Sleep is not so refreshing
Your body feels different
Your thinking may be affected e.g. concentration, memory, planning
Everyday tasks may be more difficult to do
These effects can cause you frustration, despair and worry.

Fatigue can also greatly benefit from the resources on the exercise and complementary therapy pages.

RESTORE PROGRAM
Developed by Macmillan and the University of Southampton, RESTORE helps you to monitor your energy levels and set goals to help you manage your fatigue more effectively. It also links to the Macmillan fatigue diary, to help you keep track of your energy levels and work out what makes your fatigue better or worse.

EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY – FIND NEAR YOU
For many people with cancer-related fatigue, the thought of exercising can feel overwhelming. You may feel more comfortable resting. Resting too much can lower your energy even more and make you feel more fatigued. an Exercise Physiologist can assist are trained specialists at using exercise as medicine, and can design a program that will prevent your fatigue worsening.

CANCER MIND CARE
Depending if your fatigue is mild, moderate, or severe, recommendations for management may differ.

SLEEP HYGIENE CHECKLIST
‘Sleep hygiene’ is the term used to describe good sleep habits. Considerable research has gone into developing a set of guidelines and tips which are designed to enhance good sleeping, and there is much evidence to suggest that these strategies can provide long-term solutions to sleep difficulties.

SLEEP FOUNDATION SLEEP DIARY
By keeping a record of sleep, the diary makes it possible to calculate total sleep time. A sleep record also helps people identify sleep disruptions and other factors that can influence sleep quality. Identifying the habits that affect sleep can show patterns and help explain sleeping problems.

Peripheral Neuropathy

People affected by peripheral neuropathy may experience different symptoms, depending on which peripheral nerves are damaged. No two cases are exactly the same. Most often, the nerve damage causes numbness, tingling (“pins and needles”) or pain in the hands and feet.

For more details on what peripheral neuropathy is, read the ‘Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy’ Factsheet from Cancer Council.

Peripheral Neuropathy can also greatly benefit from the resources on the exercise and complementary therapy pages.

VIDEO – PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY
Consultant Medical Oncologist Shirley Wong explains why it happens, risk factors and what can be done to help. Recorded at Counterpart Resource Centre, Melbourne, on 20 February 2019.

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY SCREENING TOOL
Early detection and intervention are important in managing symptoms of AIPN and preventing the development of more severe neuropathy. It is recommended that assessment is undertaken by the patient or health care professional with each dose of drug.

FIND AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Occupational therapy enables people to participate in activities they find meaningful. If you are severely impacted by peripheral neuropathy you may need to consult with an occupational therapist to help you participate in your day to day activities.

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