Abstract

•  Recent restructuring of cancer services in the United Kingdom and advances in cancer chemotherapy have resulted in the majority of chemotherapy being delivered on an outpatient basis.•  Patients receiving chemotherapy are at risk of developing multiple problems and increased anxiety levels and are now more likely to encounter these problems outside the hospital setting. Therefore, providing all the necessary information at chemotherapy sessions is crucial to self-care activities and coping.•  A study was carried out to investigate the information needs of patients at various stages of chemotherapy treatment and this article reports these needs at the beginning of treatment.•  Most patients wanted to receive all possible information about their condition and reported satisfaction with the information provided.•  The overwhelming finding was lack of information given to patients regarding family relationships. Whilst almost all patients wanted this information, more than half reported that it had not been given.