Radiation Therapy
Radiation Therapy
Radiation Therapy
goal
to deliver a precisely measured dose
General Considerations
Different irradiation doses are required
Goals of Therapy
Curative: When there is a probability
Principles of Therapy
Higher doses of irradiation produce
Role of oxygen
Oxygen must be present at the time
Radioresistant tumors
: Many tumors are resistant to
Types of Radiation
Therapy
Two general types of radiation
brachytherapy
, the radiation device is placed within
Interstitial therapy
utilizes solid radioactive material
Intracavitary therapy
utilizes radioactive material that is
Teletherapy
is external beam irradiation and uses
Exposure or Absorption
Gray (Gy) a unit to measure
absorbed dose. One Gy equals 100
rads.
(Radterm used in the past to
measure absorbed dose.)
Joules/kg is also used to measure
absorbed dose; 1 joule/kg = Gy
Clinical Considerations
Nature and Indications for Use
Used alone or in combination with
Adjuvant radiation
therapy
used when a high risk of local
symptoms.
Provides excellent pain control for bone
metastasis.
Used to relieve obstruction.
Relief of neurologic dysfunction for brain
metastasis.
Given in short, intensive courses
treatment of arteriovenous
malformations (AVMs) and primary and
metastatic brain tumors.
A frame is attached to the patient's skull
and used to target the treatment beam
Treatment Planning
Evaluation of tumor extent (staging),
Friday.
Actual therapy lasts minutes. Most
time is spent on positioning
Complications
Complications depend on the site of
and urethritis
Cardiovascular: damage to
vasculature of organs, thrombosis
(heart is relatively radioresistant)
expression:
Skin effects: fibrosis, telangiectasia,
permanent darkening of the skin, and
atrophy
GI effects: fibrosis, adhesions, obstruction,
ulceration, and strictures
Oral effects: permanent xerostomia,
permanent taste alterations, and dental
caries
nephritis, fibrosis
Second primary cancer: patients who
have received combined radiation
and chemotherapy with alkylating
agents have a rare risk of developing
acute leukemia
Nursing Assessment
Assess skin and mucous membranes
Nursing Diagnoses
Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity
Nursing Interventions
Maintaining Optimal Skin Care
Inform the patient that some skin reaction
to the skin.
Avoid shaving the skin in the
treatment field.
Use lukewarm water only and mild
soap when bathing.
Distanceamount of radiation
infection
Radiation precautions maintained