English for Nurses
Lesson 12: Chemotherapy
chemotherapy
cure
cytotoxic
hair loss
intravenous
malignant
overdo things
poisonous
radiotherapy
side effects
toxic
wig
Activity 1: Match the terms on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
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Activity 2: Listen to the audio of the text and then complete the text.
chemotherapy radiotherapy intravenous
side effects tiredness cancer
Chemotherapy is the term for drugs which treat (1) ____________. Chemotherapy may be tablets, injections or (2) ______________
infusions. The drugs are called cytotoxic drugs because they are poisonous to cancerous cells.
Chemotherapy drugs can cure some cancers. Sometimes they are used with (3) __________ to make the treatment work better.
Some cancers, however, cannot be cured. In these cases, patients have (4) ________________ to reduce symptoms such as pain.
Cancer treatments may also cause (5) ______________which are very unpleasant. Some patients suffer from sickness, hair loss
and extreme (6) ___________. The side effects can make it difficult to follow the treatment.
Activity 3: Answer the questions about the text.
1. Cytotoxics ________________.
a kill or slow the growth of malignant cells
b cure cancer
c poison healthy cells.
2. Chemotherapy is sometimes ________________________.
a used with other drugs
b used with radiotherapy
c used on its own
3. __________ cancers can be cured using chemotherapy.
a All
b Few
c Many
4. Some of the side effects of chemotherapy are _________________.
a vomiting and diarrhoea
b hair loss and depression
c hair loss and tiredness
Grammar Focus: expressions using ‘become’. Listen to the audio of the terms.
‘Become + an adjective’ describes a process or development.
baldness become bald
constipation become constipated
tiredness become tired
sickness become sick
nausea become nauseated
depression become depressed
sadness become sad
forgetfulness become forgetful
Activity 4: Watch the video and complete the sentences. The video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmgI8YfF9Ds
1. The chemotherapy tablets are ________________.
a very strong
b quite strong
c a bit strong
2. One of the side effects of the chemotherapy is ____________________.
a tiredness
b sickness
c pain
3. The nurse tells the patient not to _____________ if she is tired.
a over work
b over sleep
c overdo it
4. If the patient feels sick the nurse will give her ____________.
a an anti-sick tablet
b an injection
c a vomit bowl
5. If the patient starts to lose her hair, she can wear a ________________.
a new shirt
b jacket
c wig
Activity 5: Match the questions with the answers.
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a) I’ll give you some anti-sick tablets. |
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b) You could wear a wig until your hair grows back. |
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c) The chemotherapy tablets are quite strong. |
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d) Try not to overdo things and get plenty of rest. |
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e) You might feel very tired.
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Activity 6: Put the missing questions the patient asks into the dialogue.
Homework: Record the whole dialogue.
a Yes, maybe. I’ll think about it.
b I am worried about losing my hair too.
c Can you explain again about the chemotherapy?
d What can I do about that?
e What sort of side effects?
Patient: 1. ______________________________
Nurse: Yes, of course. The chemotherapy tablets you are taking are quite strong. The tablets may have some side effects as well.
Patient: Oh. 2. _____________________________
Nurse: You may become very tired.
Patient: I see. 3. __________________________
Nurse: Try not to overdo things. Take it easy and get a lot of rest.
Patient: OK, I’ll try to rest a lot.
Nurse: You may feel sick as well and not feel like eating. I’ll give you some tablets to stop the sick feeling.
Patient: 4. __________________________________
Nurse: You may lose some hair at first. Don’t worry, it won’t last long. Some people wear a wig until their hair grows back.
Patient: 5. ___________________________________