Best answer K.B. is fearful of radiation treatment and asks you for your opinion. How would you respond? Clarify with K.B. and his family what they know about the risks and benefits of each therapy option. Ask K.B. and his family to explain their fears related to radiotherapy.
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What should I avoid before radiation therapy?
May 07, 2016 · K.B. is fearful of radiation treatment and asks you for your opinion. How would you respond? Clarify with K.B. and his family what they know about the risks and benefits of each therapy option. Ask K.B. and his family to explain their fears related to radiotherapy. Clarify any misconceptions, and provide accurate information regarding radiation.
Why are we so afraid of nuclear radiation?
Apr 19, 2017 · After several hours of treatment, K.B.'s condition stabilizes. The physician discusses two treatment options. with K.B. and his family: radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, also known as I-131, and subtotal thyroidectomy. What will be an ideal response? K.B. is fearful of radiation treatment and asks you for your opinion.
What are some questions do radiation oncologists ask patients?
Aug 04, 2020 · • Ask K.B. and his family to explain their fears related to radiotherapy. Clarify any misconceptions, and provide accurate information regarding radiation. Facilitate the decision-making process, but do not influence their decision. K.B. needs to understand that if he chooses the RAI using 1311 option. 10. K.B. decides to receive 1311.
How will I feel when I start radiation treatment?
Radiation Therapy and You is for people who are about to receive or are now receiving radiation therapy for cancer. Family and friends may also want to read this booklet. This booklet is a guide you can refer to throughout radiation therapy. It includes facts about radiation therapy and side effects you may have depending on the part of your ...
Do I need to bring someone with me for each treatment?
Unless you feel ill, you can typically drive yourself to treatment. In fact, many patients are able to work full-time during their treatment.
When will I start experiencing side effects?
Side effects depend on where you receive the radiation therapy, the dose given, whether you also receive chemotherapy and, if so, how much and what...
Will I lose my hair?
While chemotherapy causes hair loss throughout the body, that’s not the case for radiation therapy. Hair loss is associated with the radiation beam...
Am I radioactive?
You’re radioactive only if you’re undergoing treatment with a radiation seed implant. If you are hospitalized for this procedure, you’ll be in a pr...
Will I glow in the dark?
No. Even with permanent radiative seed implants, patients do not glow.
Can I be around children and pregnant women?
Yes -- unless you have just received a permanent radioactive seed implant. If that’s the case, you’ll only have the implant for a few days and shou...
Will I get a different cancer in the area where I’m receiving radiation?
The risk of developing a second cancer due to radiation therapy is very low. The benefits of your recommended treatment far outweigh the small risk...
Can I receive radiation in the same area if I have a cancer recurrence or secondary cancer?
With our newer technologies, we are able to carefully re-irradiate the same area in some situations. This is something you should discuss with your...
Will I feel the radiation treatment?
No, radiation therapy uses high-energy waves, like those used with an X-ray. They are invisible and painless.
What is radiation therapy and you?
Radiation Therapy and You is for people who are about to receive or are now receiving radiation therapy for cancer. Family and friends may also want to read this booklet. This booklet is a guide you can refer to throughout radiation therapy. It includes facts about radiation therapy and side effects you may have depending on the part ...
When was the last time the radiation booklet was updated?
The information in this booklet was last updated in April 2021.
How long does radiation treatment last?
They usually begin by the second or third week of treatment and may last for several weeks after the final radiation treatment.
Can you be radioactive if you have a radiation seed implant?
You’re radioactive only if you’re undergoing treatment with a radiation seed implant. If you are hospitalized for this procedure, you’ll be in a protected room to limit your exposure to other people. This is something your doctor will talk to you beforehand.
Can radiation cause cancer?
The risk of developing a second cancer due to radiation therapy is very low. The benefits of your recommended treatment far outweigh the small risk that your radiation treatment could cause another cancer later in life.
Can radiation therapy cause infections?
Generally, cancer patients who are treated with radiation therapy alone aren ’t more likely to develop infections. Pamela J. Schlembach is professor of Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson in The Woodlands. Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.
How to take care of skin during radiation?
Î Skin care. Take extra good care of your skin during radiation therapy. Be gentle and do not rub, scrub, or scratch in the treatment area. Use creams that your doctor or nurse suggests.
How to protect your scalp from sunburn?
Your scalp may feel tender after hair loss. Protect it from very cold air and sunburn by covering your head with a hat, turban, or scarf when you are outside.
Is it important to be honest with your spouse while on radiation?
For both men and women, it is important to be open and honest with your spouse or partner about your feelings and concerns, and how you prefer to be intimate while you are having radiation therapy.
Can radiation therapy cause side effects?
They may occur with radiation therapy because the high doses of radiation that are used to kill cancer cells can also damage healthy cells in the treatment area. Side effects are different for each person. Some people have many side effects. Others have hardly any. Side effects may be more severe if you also receive chemotherapy before, during, or after your radiation therapy.
What is radiation therapy?
The therapy is designed to deliver precise amounts of energy to tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue. The radiation is present only when the linear accelerator is operating. When you receive external-beam radiation, you are unable to contaminate or transfer that radiation to any other person.
What is radioactive medicine?
Doctors sometimes use small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose disease. This is called nuclear medicine. The radioactive substance is injected into your body, locating specific cells or tissues ― including cancer cells ― and binds to them.
Why are radioactive implants sealed?
The implants are specially tested and sealed to ensure that the encapsulated radioactive material doesn’t leak, and we place them in such a way that it’s highly unlikely they will move. We give people specific precautions to minimize exposure to others from the implanted radioactive material. Back to top.
How does radiation help cancer?
Radiation treatment is one of the most common and effective ways to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. At Memorial Sloan Kettering, approximately half of our adult cancer patients undergo radiation therapy as a primary treatment or as part of a broader approach that includes chemotherapy, surgery, or other therapies.
What is the best treatment for cancer?
Radiation Therapy. Radiation therapy can destroy tumors and/or prevent them from returning. It can be used by itself as the only treatment or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, or both. Learn more about the types of radiation therapy and how it's used at MSK. Learn more.
Do you have to wear a mask at MSK?
Masks Are Still Required at MSK. Patients and visitors must continue to wear masks while at MSK, including people who are fully vaccinated. MSK is offering COVID-19 vaccines to all patients age 12 and over. To schedule or learn more, read this. News & Information /.
Can radiation damage tissue?
Even when nearby normal tissues receive small amounts of radiation, it is rare for long-term damage to occur. Our doctors and physicists also know how much radiation healthy tissue can receive without causing significant damage. They use this information to develop a patient-specific treatment.
What are the side effects of radiation to the pelvis?
1. Diarrhea. Many patients develop diarrhea during radiation therapy.
What is pelvic radiation?
BY Valerie Reed, M.D. Radiation therapy to the pelvis is commonly used to treat women with lower gastrointestinal tract cancers, as well as gynecologic cancers, such as cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. Because the radiation therapy is administered to the pelvis, though, there are certain side effects that are common ...
Why do you need a vaginal dilator?
Your doctor may recommend you use a vaginal dilator after treatment to reduce the risk of this. Vaginal dilators are often recommended for patients with non-gynecologic cancers, such as anal cancer, in close proximity to the vagina. 6. Fatigue.
Where is Valerie Reed?
Valerie Reed, M.D., is a radiation oncologist at MD Anderson in The Woodlands. Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling 1-877-632-6789.
Can radiation affect fertility?
Radiation can affect your fertility. If the ovaries are in the radiation field, you may stop having your period and go into early menopause. The good news is that there are things our doctors can do to preserve the fertility of patients who want to have children after treatment.
Can radiation therapy cause diarrhea?
Many patients develop diarrhea during radiation therapy. To manage diarrhea, we recommend a low-fiber diet. If you’re an MD Anderson patient, ask your care team for a referral to one of our dietitians. He or she will give you specific guidelines to follow during treatment.
Can radiation cause bladder irritation?
The inside lining of the bladder sometimes becomes irritated during radiation. Let your doctor know if you develop bladder symptoms. That way, he or she can prescribe additional tests and/or medication as needed. Your vagina and/or external genital area may become irritated during treatment.
Why is it important to be in the same position for radiation?
It is important for your body to be in the same position for each treatment. Your radiation oncology team cares about your comfort. Talk with the team to find a comfortable position that you can be in every time you come in for radiation therapy.
What is informed consent for radiation?
Giving permission for radiation therapy. If you choose to receive radiation therapy, your health care team will ask you to sign an "informed consent" form. Signing the document means: Your team gave you information about your treatment options. You choose to have radiation therapy.
What type of doctor is responsible for radiation therapy?
Radiation oncologist. This type of doctor specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer. A radiation oncologist oversees radiation therapy treatments. They work closely with other team members to develop the treatment plan. Radiation oncology nurse.
What is simulation in radiation therapy?
Simulating and planning treatment. Your first radiation therapy session is a simulation. This means it is a practice run without giving radiation therapy. Your team will use imaging scans to identify the tumor location.
How long does radiation therapy last?
It is the most common radiation therapy treatment for cancer. Each session is quick, lasting about 15 minutes. Radiation does not hurt, sting, or burn when it enters the body.
How often should you check for radiation?
During your treatment, your radiation oncologist will check how well it is working. Typically, this will happen at least once a week. If needed, they may adjust your treatment plan.
How long does it take for radiation to go away?
The 2-day break in treatment each week allows your body some time to repair this damage. Some of the effects may not go away until the treatment period is completed. Let the health care professionals if you are experiencing side effects. Read more about the side effects of radiation therapy.
How many people were evacuated from Fukushima?
Worried about radiation, but ignoring (or perhaps just unaware of) what the LSS has learned, 154,000 people in the area around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plants were hastily evacuated.
How many people died from Chernobyl?
Based on these findings, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that the lifetime cancer death toll from the Chernobyl nuclear accident might be as high as 4,000, two-thirds of 1 per cent of the 600,000 Chernobyl victims who received doses high enough to be of concern.
What caused the nuclear power plants to close?
Despite the fact that radiation released from Fukushima produced no increase in radiation-associated diseases, fear of radiation led Japan and Germany to close their nuclear power plants. In both nations, the use of natural gas and coal increased, raising levels of particulate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
How long did the evacuees live after Chernobyl?
Life expectancy of the evacuees dropped from 65 to 58 years. Anxiety over the health effects of radiation shows no signs of diminishing and may even be spreading.’. The natural environment around the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi accidents adds evidence that ionising radiation is less biologically harmful than commonly believed.
What is the modern environmentalism?
Modern environmentalism was founded on fear of radioactive fallout from atmospheric testing of such weapons. A whole generation was raised on movies and literature and other art depicting nuclear radiation as the ultimate bogeyman of modern technology.
How many people survived the Hibakusha?
Within 10 kilometres of the explosions, there were 86,600 survivors – known in Japan as the hibakusha – and they have been followed and compared with 20,000 non-exposed Japanese. Only 563 of these atomic-bomb survivors have died prematurely of cancer caused by radiation, an increased mortality of less than 1 per cent.
Did Hibakusha radiation raise the rate of disease?
At these moderate or lower doses, the LSS found that ionising radiation does not raise rates of any disease associated ...