Gul Cankaya
Marmara University Pendik Training Hospital, Turkey
Title: The self-care of women undergoing radiotherapy
Biography
Biography: Gul Cankaya
Abstract
Radiation therapy uses high energy X-rays or particles to kill cancer cells. The radiation oncology treatment team is made up of many different healthcare professionals. The amount of radiation and the number of treatments needed are different for each patient. Early side effects from radiation therapy can be treated and usually heal a few weeks after your treatment ends. Fatigue, loss of appetite and skin irritation is examples of acute side effects. These early effects in brain are alopecia and scalp erythema, ear and external auditory canal, cerebral oedema, nausea and vomiting, somnolence syndrome. Eye: conjunctival oedema and tearing. Head and neck: oral mucositis, oral candidiasis, oral herpes, xerostomia, esophagitis and pharyngitis, taste changes, laryngitis, dental caries. Breast: skin reactions, esophagitis. Chest and lungs: esophagitis and pharyngitis, taste changes, pneumonitis. Abdomen and pelvis: nausea and vomiting, diarrhea proctitis, cystitis, vaginal dryness. Late side effects may take months or years to develop and can be permanent. Pretreatment anxiety is one of the most common problems in patients undergoing radiotherapy. Patient education is a dynamic process of medicine, with regards to patient care, compliance and comprehension of health information. Improving patients’ understanding of treatment enhances their compliance to treatment. In addition, adequate knowledge and understanding of radiation treatment is critical for effective patient participation in decision-making. A patient-centered approach to care is a key part of quality healthcare by many organizations including the WHO and national health ministries.