Radiotherapy Flashcards

1
Q

how is radiotherapy more commonly given

A

in multi-modality treatment

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

what is radiotherapy

A

the use of ionising radiation to treat cancer

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

what type of cancers are treated with radiotherapy

A

most solid malignancies and some liquid

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

how many cancer patients get R/T

A

50-60%

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

how many patients are cured by R/T

A

40%

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

what types of ionising radiation afterused

A

X-rays, gamma rays, beta particles, alpha particles, neutrons and protons

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

what radiation is used in conventional external beam R/T

A

X rays

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

how was radiation originally deliviered

A

one big dose, had lots of severe side effects

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

what is fractionated radiotherapy

A

many smaller doses of radiation for many weeks (up to 7 for more resistant cancers like head and neck)

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

what equipment delivers R/T

A

linear accelerators (LINACS)

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

what happens in the treatment planning

A

immobilisation, MRI and CT, image fusion, volume delineation, Treatment planning, plan verification, pre-treatment imaging, treatment (30secs)

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

what is image fusion good for

A

finding tumour and any other damaged tissue

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

what is the conventional fraction for breast cancer treatment

A

50Gy (2 Gy x 25) +/- lumpectomy cavity boost

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

what is the hypofractionation for breast cancer treatment

A

42.5 Gy (2.66 Gy x 16 fractions), 40Gy (2.66 x 15 fractions)

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

what is accelerated radiotherapy

A

schedule in which the rate of dose -accumulation exceeds 10Gy/week

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

what is Hyperfractionation

A

ant schedule employing a dose per fraction of less than 1.8Gy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

why is radiotherapy given (5)

A
  1. curative intent
  2. shrink cancer before surgery
  3. to reduce risk of recurrence post surgery
  4. to complement chemo
  5. to control symptoms and increase QoL (palliative)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what does neoadjuvant mean

A

given before surgery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what does adjuvant mean

A

given after surgery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Brachytherapy

A

rods inserted into the tumour

21
Q

what is brachytherapy commonly used for

A

prostate cancer and uterine and cervical cancer

22
Q

Brachytherapy for prostate cancer

A

plastic catheters inserted through the perineum and into the prostate under anaesthesia

23
Q

Brachytherapy: what is the dwell time

A

when the radioactive rods are in the tumour

24
Q

advantage of brachytherapy

A

treatment is done in 2-5 days not 6 weeks

25
Q

disadvantages of brachytherapy

A

strict bed rest while catheters are inside so movement is restricted

26
Q

how do LINACS work - EBRT

A

uses microwaves to accelerate electrons that collide with a heavy metal target to produce X-rays which are focused down onto the patient

27
Q

what is the therapeutic ratio in EBRT (external beam radiotherapy)

A

maximising the therapeutic effect and minimising toxic effect on normal tissue

28
Q

How does Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) work

A

uses computer-controlled LINACS to deliver precise radiation doses to the tumour, or specific areas within the tumour

29
Q

what does IMRT allow for

A

higher radiation doses to be focused to regions in the tumour while minimising the dose to surrounding structures

30
Q

what is IMRT currently being used to treat mostly

A

prostate, head and neck and CNS cancers

31
Q

How does radiation therapy kill cancer cells

A

stops them dividing and growing

32
Q

early (acute) side effects of radiation treatment

A

tiredness and skin problems such as sensitivity, redness and swelling

33
Q

less common acute side effects of radiation therapy

A

hair loss in area, eating issues, nausea and vomiting, soreness and swelling, mouth issues, diarrhoea, headaches, urinary/bladder changes

34
Q

late (chronic and progressive) side effects of radiation therapy

A

brain, kidney, colon, spinal cord, mouth, rectal, lung and joint changes, secondary cancers, lymphedema, infertility

35
Q

what does alpha radiation consist of

A

2 neutrons and 2 protons bound together so tightly that it acts like a fundamental particle

36
Q

what does beta radiation consist of

A

high speed e- that originate in the nucleus. electrons of low energy should be referred to as delta rays

37
Q

what does gamma radiation consist of

A

its an electromagnetic radiation that consists of photons. They consist of quanta (packets) of energy that are transferred in wave motion

38
Q

difference in X-rays and gamma rays

A

their origin - gamma rays result from nuclear changes and X-rays are emitted when atomic e- undergo a change in orbit

39
Q

which cells are more resistant to radiation

A

hypoxic cells

40
Q

methods of selectively attacking hypoxic cells

A
  1. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO)
  2. high-LET radiation, hypoxic cells sensitisers
  3. increase Hb levels
41
Q

what causes 1 M-phase cell to become 2 G1 cells

A

non-uniform distribution

42
Q

in which phase of the cell cycle are cells particularly resistant to radiation

A

S phase

43
Q

when is cancer less effective at repairing DNA damage

A

at small doses of RT

44
Q

what are the 4 R’s of radiotherapy?

A

Reoxygenation
Redistribution
Repair
Repopulation

45
Q

which cancers are highly sensitive to radiotherapy

A

lymphoma, leukaemia, seminoma, dysgerminoma

46
Q

which cancers are fairly highly sensitive to radiotherapy

A

squamous cell cancers of the glottis, oropharyngeal, bladder and cervical epithelia

47
Q

which cancers not very sensitive to radiotherapy

A

breast, salivary gland, hepatomas, renal, pancreatic

48
Q

which cancers have low sensitivity to radiotherapy

A

rhabdomyosarcoma

49
Q

what regimens are currently recommended for RT for breast cancer

A

50Gy in 25 daily fractions over 5 weeks or 40Gy in 15 daily fractions over 3 weeks