Published on 19 October 2024
Patients in Cheshire and Merseyside with secondary breast cancer can access a new specialist nursing service aimed at managing and reducing side-effects from cancer treatment.
The service being piloted at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre aims to help patients stay on treatment for longer and enjoy a better quality of life during their treatment by preventing, managing and reducing side-effects. The goal is ensuring patients don’t become so unwell they have to defer treatment or stop it altogether because their side-effects have become so severe.
A dedicated Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) at Clatterbridge, Chelcie Faulkner, pictured, works directly with metastatic breast patients on drugs that we know carry a higher side-effect profile, offering them preventive advice and explaining what to look out for and what to do if they develop any symptoms.
She also helps patients who are experiencing side-effects and who have either been referred to her for support or have contacted the cancer centre because of mild to moderate symptoms.
Chelcie said: “It’s all about catching side-effects early and working with the rest of their clinical team to support patients in managing these side-effects. Early intervention means patients can potentially remain on treatment for longer.
“For example, I will explain to patients that if they have vomited four times in a day after treatment, they should contact us so we can put them on a different anti-sickness tablet. We don’t want them to get to a stage where they are vomiting so much that they become too unwell for their next treatment.”
Consultant Medical Oncologist Professor Carlo Palmieri, who specialises in secondary breast cancer and helped establish the post, said: “This new nursing service has been hugely beneficial for patients with advanced breast cancer. It is helping people to stay on treatments that are clinically very effective and also means patients can enjoy a better quality of life on treatment by controlling and reducing any less serious side-effects.”
The pilot will be evaluated in June 2025 to assess its overall impact and options for the future.