Radiotherapy Flashcards
What is the aim of radiotherapy?
The aim of radiotherapy is to deliver carefully calculated doses of radiation to cancer cells, whilst minimising the radiation exposure to surrounding tissues. Radiotherapy, therefore, aims to achieve a high rate of local tumour control with a low risk of complications.
Name a cancer type where radiotherapy is the sole treatment
Prostate cancer
Name 2 examples of where radiotherapy is used in palliative cancer care.
- Radiotherapy to a tumour causing spinal cord compression (thus reducing neuropathic symptoms)
- Radiotherapy to bony metastasis to reduce pain
How does radiotherapy cause cell death?
- Triggering direct cell apoptosis by causing significant DNA damage
- Preventing cancer cell proliferation, by causing single and double-stranded breaks in DNA (known as mitotic cell death)
Why is radiotherapy given in fraction doses?
Fractionation helps to reduce the risk of acute tissue reactions and minimises damage to normal cells (which are better able to undergo repair between fractions).
Name the 2 primary methods of delivering radiation.
- External beam radiation
- Internal radiation (brachytherapy)
Name some early side effects of radiotherapy.
- Skin reactions (erythema, desquamation)
- Fatigue
- Mucositis
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
Name some late side effects of radiotherapy.
- Radiation-induced fibrosis
- Atrophy
- Neural or vascular damage
- A range of endocrine effects (e.g. diabetes, hypothyroidism)
Name some side effects of head and neck radiotherapy.
- Dysphagia
- Jaw stiffness
- Dry mouth
- Mouth and gum sores
- Hair loss
- Lymphoedema
- Tooth decay
Name some side effects of chest radiotherapy.
- Dysphagia
- Dyspnoea
- Radiation pneumonitis
- Radiation fibrosis
Name some side effects of abdominal radiotherapy.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal cramping
