Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

CAN > L24: Radiotherapy > Flashcards

L24: Radiotherapy Flashcards

1
Q

What is the method of radiotherapy

A

1) Damage the DNA within cancer cells and destroying their ability to reproduce
2) damaged DNA in cancer cells causes apoptosis
3) normal cells are able to repair themselves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the machine that delivers radiotherapy called

A

Linear accelerators

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

When is radiotherapy used

A

Radical: to treat cancer can be with or without chemotherapy
Adjuvant: after surgery to get rid of microscopic tumour cells
Neo-adjuvant: before surgery to shrink the size of tumour
Palliative: to manage symptoms such as bleeding and pain and increase QOL

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

In which cancer can radical radiotherapy be used in

A 
Prostate 
Bladder
Head and neck 
Gynae 
Lungs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

In which cancer types can adjuvant radiotherapy be used in

A

Breast cancer
Prostate
Lungs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Which cancer can neoadjuvant radiotherapy be used for

A

Rectal cancer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

If a patient has radiotherapy what is the process that they go through

A

1) have a CT scan to design and measure the patient so the radiotherapy hits the right spot and does not radiate unwanted parts
2) areas that you want to ignore have a lower dose delivered
3) radiotherapy is aimed at the correct spot each time so we have skin tattoos

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What do radiotherapist need to consider when targeting tumours

A

Microscopic tumours that you cannot see around the tumour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the gross tumour volume

A

Cancer you can see at the scan

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the gross tumour volume expanded by

A

Clinical target volume

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What does the clinical target volume take into consideration

A

Microscopic tumours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the clinical target volume expanded to

A

Planning target volume

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the planning target volume

A

Because the set up is not 100% precise, it depends on the location we are targeting which can change in size e.g the bladder

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

From the planning target volume what area is next

A

Exposed area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the exposed area

A

We cannot stop radiation at the line of planting target volume so there is an exposed area which gives the side effects

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

When we prescribe a radiotherapy what are the 2 factors considered

A

Grays

Fractions

17
Q

What is gray

A

The measurement of the dose

18
Q

What is the fraction

A

The number of visits for a treatment i.e the number of times the dose is divided into

19
Q

How is energy transferred to the body

A

Via a photon interaction that generated the charged particles which damage the dna

20
Q

What limits the dose that we can give

A

Normal tissue tolerance i.e the healthy tissue around the tumour

21
Q

Why do we fraction a radiotherapy

A

1) repair: to allow normal tissue to repair itself
2) redistribution: the most radio sensitive part of the cell cycle is G2/M phase, when we fraction we increase the chance of cancer cells to process int the G2/M phase where they are radiosensitive
3) repopulation: cancer cells can repopulate when they are not being treated so if there is a break in radiotherapy they can cause problems

22
Q

What are the 2 types of external radiation therapy

A

3D CRT

Intensity modulated radiation therapy

23
Q

Name an example of internal radiation therapy that can be used for treating prostate cancer

A

Brachytherapy

24
Q

How does internal radiation therapy work

A

You place a radioactive material into the tumour or surrounding tissue

25
Q

What are the advantages of internal radiation therapy

A

Allows minimal radiation exposure to normal tissue so side effects are less

26
Q

What are the disadvantages of internal radiation therapy

A

If there is cancer beyond the tumour cells it would not target them

27
Q

With breast cancer how can radiotherapy be used after a mastectomy

A

Adjuvant radiotherapy

28
Q

What would adjuvant radiotherapy require for breast cancer to stop metastasis

A

Chemotherapy or hormone therapy

29
Q

Why isn’t radiotherapy good for metastasising cancer

A

Radiotherapy is localised to the primary site of the tumour

30
Q

What can palliative radiotherapy be used for

A

Reduce:
Pain
Bleeding

31
Q

What does palliative radiotherapy not do

A

Increase the survival rate

32
Q

What are the acute side effects of radiotherapy

A

Fatigue
Nausea
Dermatitis
Mucositis: eating/ drinking, communicating, pain/mucus

33
Q

What other side effects can radiotherapy give

A

Late side effects when radiotherapy has been stopped

34
Q

What type of late side effects can radiotherapy give for breast cancer

A

Scarring

35
Q

What late side effects can radiotherapy give for oesophageal cancer

A

Lung fibrosis due to scarring

36
Q

What can type of late side effects can pelvic radiotherapy give

A

Bone pain or fragile bones

CAN (25 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions