Radiotherapy

Question 0

What is the nucleus of atoms made up of?

Answer 0

Neutrons and protons

Question 1

What are atoms made up of?

Answer 1

Neutrons, protons and electrons

Question 2

What are the 4 types of radiation?

Answer 2

Alpha, beta, gamma/x-rays, neutrons

Question 3

What stops alpha waves?

Answer 3

Skin

Question 4

What stops beta waves?

Answer 4

Aluminium

Question 5

What stops gamma/x rays?

Answer 5

Lead

Question 6

What stops neutrons?

Answer 6

Concrete

Question 7

Give 5 examples of how radiation is used

Answer 7

Smoke detectors
Sterilising medical instruments
Dating rocks and materials - archaeological finds
Traces for medical diagnosis
Killing cancer cells

Question 8

What is radiotherapy?

Answer 8

The treatment of disease by ionising radiation.

Question 9

How does ionising radiation work?

Answer 9

Penetrate tissues, alters the nuclear material i.e DNA, disrupting cell growth and reproduction. Causes apoptosis.

Question 10

What is the advantage of radiotherapy?

Answer 10

Targeted to damage cancer cells - healthy cells can recover.

Question 11

What types of radiation are the preferred treatment?

Answer 11

Alpha and gamma radiation

Question 12

When might you use radiotherapy? (5 reasons)

Answer 12

To treat cancer
To shrink a tumour before surgery
To reduce cancer returning after surgery
To control symptoms - palliative
To reduce growth of cells - Graves' disease

Question 13

When would radiotherapy be appropriate and when wouldn’t it be appropriate?

Answer 13

Appropriate for stand alone tumours, can target a specific area. Not appropriate if cancer has spread.

Question 14

What are the two types of radiotherapy?

Answer 14

External and internal

Question 15

How long does it take to give external radiotherapy?

Answer 15

Usually given over several weeks, mon-fri. 5 min per fraction.

Question 16

What is important to remember when giving radiotherapy?

Answer 16

Mark the area, person needs to be motionless during treatment.

Question 17

What is a radiotherapy machine?

Answer 17

Metal element is heated to produce electrons, these accelerate in an electric field towards a piece of tungsten metal which emits high energy x rays when they hit it.

Question 18

What is conformal radiotherapy (CRT) and when is it used?

Answer 18

Use of metal blocks to direct the beam of ionising radiation to target the shape of the tumour - used in prostate cancer.

Question 19

What is internal radiotherapy?

Answer 19

Radioactive wires or seeds put into affected area, may be given once or a few times, usually in hospital, a few days (wires or IV), monitored using a Geiger counter, mustn’t come into contact with pregnant women or anyone growing.

Question 20

When might you use internal radiotherapy?

Answer 20

Cervical cancer

Question 21

Which radiation do you use for internal radiotherapy?

Answer 21

Alpha

Question 22

How can you give internal radiotherapy?

Answer 22

IV or liquid form

Question 23

Name two forms of internal radiotherapy given for bone cancer?

Answer 23

Strontium 89 and samarium 153

Question 24

When would you use iodine 131?

Answer 24

On the thyroid gland

Question 25

What is the name of a radiotherapy being used in secondary bone cancer trials?

Answer 25

Radium 223

Question 26

Other than for secondary bone cancer when else might you use radium 223?

Answer 26

Relieve blockages of the oesophagus

Question 27

Why might people experience side effects to radiotherapy?

Answer 27

Damage to healthy cells can take time to recover

Question 28

What do the side effects of radiotherapy depend on?

Answer 28

``` Area being treated. Dose of radiation. Age Ca for longer period Physical well being ```

Question 29

When can side effects of radiotherapy appear?

Answer 29

During treatment. | Weeks/months after treatment

Question 30

Give 5 side effects of radiotherapy

Answer 30

``` Tiredness Nausea/sickness Sore skin Muscle and Joint pain Fertility ```

Question 31

Why might radiotherapy cause tiredness?

Answer 31

``` Physical exertion of going every day Anaemia - destruction of RBC's Less 02 carrying capacity Diarrhoea Bone marrow affected - pelvis, abdo, prostate. ```

Question 32

Which areas receiving radiotherapy might cause sickness?

Answer 32

GI tract and brain

Question 33

Why does radiotherapy cause sickness when targeting the brain?

Answer 33

Triggers vomiting centre

Question 34

What might you prescribe for someone who is suffering from sickness?

Answer 34

Anti emetics eg domperidone

Question 35

What are people advised not to use when receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer?

Answer 35

Deodorant or perfumed soaps

Question 36

Why do people relieving radiotherapy suffer from sore skin?

Answer 36

Local reaction to the radiation, temporary hair loss in area.

Question 37

What can help ease muscle and joint pain?

Answer 37

Light exercise/physiotherapy

Question 38

What three different things can cause fertility problems in those receiving radiotherapy?

Answer 38

Loss of libido Ovarian function affected inducing early menopause Prostate impotence/infertility

Question 39

What is a risk of radiotherapy?

Answer 39

Could cause cancer in normal cells

Question 40

Why would you use radiotherapy in the thyroid gland?

Answer 40

Graves' disease - reduce activity of the thyroid gland by destroying cells, less T3/T4 release.

Question 41

Current research is looking into what two types of radiotherapy?

Answer 41

Hyperfractionated | Hypofractionated

Question 42

What is hyper fractionated radiotherapy?

Answer 42

More than one fraction a day given over 12 days

Question 43

What is hypo fractionated radiotherapy?

Answer 43

Increase dose of radiotherapy but give over fewer fractions

Question 44

What is stereotactic radiotherapy?

Answer 44

Used to treat small round tumours of head, eg pituitary adenomas, acoustic neuromas, growths in the base of the skull - meningiomas

Question 45

What is radiosurgery?

Answer 45

One single large dose of radiation, only suitable for small tumours, IMRT and IGRT.