Common dermatology questions and answers about the radiation treatment of skin cancer in the modern era

Nurses play an important role in the care of patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) for skin conditions, such as skin cancers. A series of four articles will aim to supplement general oncology nurse training by providing a scientific basis to better understand the skin and its diseases, the use of RT in skin, and the management of necessary acute skin RT reactions to achieve best patient outcomes. This first article focuses on the role of the nurse within the radiation oncology department and the initial patient assessment. It enables the nurse to develop an appreciation of the unique nature of patients undergoing RT to the skin and provides recommendations on nursing assessment, patient examination, and optimal care of the skin RT patient. It also highlights the psychological impact of a skin cancer diagnosis on the patient. The second article in this series of four revises the anatomy, physiology, pathologies and radiobiology of skin. The third describes the skin RT prescription and plan, especially in relation to volume and dose; and the fourth shows how the nurse, by applying the knowledge from the previous articles, can predict, explain and care for acute side effects that may arise during a course of skin radiotherapy.

Section: Figure 1cmentioning

confidence: 99%

A scientific approach to skin radiotherapy nursing Article 1 - The role of the nurse in patient assessment

Fogarty¹,

Sutton²,

Christiansen³

et al. 2022

“…That is, for each one thousand patients irradiated, there will be a radiation-induced cancer arising in one of the one thousand for every decade of life they live. 7 This is one reason why some consider sixty to be a reasonable age at which RT can begin to be offered, but there is no hard data on this. There is data to suggest that below this age the risk may be higher, 8 but this was with older and less conformal RT.…”

Section: Importance Of Minimising the Side Effects Of Rtmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The usual RT induced cancer in skin is a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) which should be treated on its merits. 7 Decreasing side effects in RT is the responsibility of all: The responsibility to decrease side effects is a responsibility shared by all RT craft groups.…”

Section: Importance Of Minimising the Side Effects Of Rtmentioning

confidence: 99%

A scientific approach to skin radiotherapy nursing Article 4 – How nurses can predict, explain, and care for the acute side effects that may arise during a course of skin radiotherapy

Fogarty¹,

Cooper²,

Hodson³

et al. 2022

Nurses play an important role in the care of patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) for skin conditions, such as skin cancers. This is the final article in a four-part series that aims to supplement general oncology nurse training by providing a scientific basis to better understand a) the use of RT in skin and its diseases; and b) the management of acute skin RT reactions to achieve best patient outcomes. The first article focused on the role of the nurse within the radiation oncology department and the initial patient assessment. The second article revised the anatomy, physiology, pathologies and radiobiology of skin. The third described the skin RT prescription and plan, especially in relation to volume and dose. The aim of this fourth article is to assist the nurse, by applying the knowledge from the previous articles, to predict, explain and care for the acute side effects that may arise during a course of skin radiotherapy.

Section: Importance Of Minimising the Side Effects Of Rtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Importance Of Minimising the Side Effects Of Rtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untitled

2022

The first article 1 focused on the role of the nurse within the radiation oncology department and the initial patient assessment. The second article 2 revised the anatomy, physiology, pathologies and radiobiology of skin, and the third 3 described the skin RT prescription and plan, especially in relation to volume and dose. This fourth article aims to assist the nurse, by applying the knowledge from the previous articles, to predict, explain and care for the acute side effects that may arise. A glossary of terms used throughout this paper is outlined in Table 1.