Question

Purpose, indication and nursing responsibilities for patients with Prostate cancer

b.Special procedure
• Brachytherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Reverse isolation
• Chemotherapy

Answer 1

1) Brachytherapy :-

Purpose - Brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material sealed inside a seed, pellet, wire, or capsule is implanted in the body using a needle or catheter. The radiation given off by this source damages the DNA of nearby cancer cells. Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat prostate cancer.

Indications :

used to supplement external beam rt dose

- used more often as a "boost" to the area of interest after external beam RT has been given to sterilize the surrounding lymph nodes

- administered on outpatient basis

Nursing actions for Internal radiation

1. Private room

2. Appropiate sign on the door warning

3. Wear a dosimeter film badge that records personal amount of radiation exposure.

4. Limit visits to 30 mins, - visitors should be 6 ft from source

6. no pregos or ppl under 16

7. keep lead container in the clients room if spontaneous loss

8. same precautions at home .

Client education for internal radiation

1. Inform the client the need to remain in an indicated position to prevent dislodgment of the radiation of treatment

2. Call the nurse for elimination

3. instruct client and family about radiation precautions related to the health care and home environments

2) Radiation therapy :-

Purpose - to destroy cancer cells and slow tumor growth while limiting the harm to nearby healthy tissue.

Indications :

Primary treatment of specific tumor types, adjuvant treatment in addition to surgery and/or chemotherapy for better tumor control, and for palliation to improve quality of life for advanced cancer cases.

Nursing interventions :

- Explain the procedure

- place restrictions to the visitors

- Assess patients vitals , skin condition , nutrition status, changes in mucosa

- Advice to avoid creams , lotions , and strong soaps , tight clothes etc

- Provide oral care

- Advice to drink plenty of fluids

- Assist patient in ADLs

- Explain to reach hospital if any side effects occur .

3) Reverse isolation :

Purpose :-

Reverse isolation are procedures designed to protect a patient from infectious organisms carried by staff, patients or other patients.

Indications :-

transplant patients who is immune systems have been depressed

- severely burned patients

- chemotherapy or radiation patients

- immune system failure

#. Nursing interventions :-

- Standard precautions

- room is cleaned and disinfected frequently

- anyone entering needs a gown, gloves and mask

- all equipment is clean disinfected and/or sterile

- air that enters the room must be filtered

4) Chemotherapy :-

Purpose - Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer (cytotoxic) drugs or hormonal agents to cure, palliate, maintain remission, or as a prophylatic measure.

Indicationsthe total number of cancer cells in your body.

reduce the likelihood of cancer spreading.

shrink tumor size.

reduce current symptoms.

#. Nursing interventions :-

1. Assess oral mucosa daily and teach patient to do this.

2. Encourage nutritional supplements (Ensure, carnation, instant breakfast) if intake decrease.

3. Be aware that eating, swallowing and talking may be difficult (Require analgesics)

4. instruct in diet modification as necessary (Avoidance of irritating spicy or acidic foods: selection of moist, bland, and softer foods)

5. Encourage pt. to keep oral cavity clean and moist by performing frequent oral rinses with saline or salt and soda solution.

6. Encourage pt. to use artificial saliva to manage dryness (radiation)

7. discourage use of irritants such as tobacco and alcohol

8. Apply topical anesthetics (Viscous lidocaine, oxetacaine)

9. Fever precautions

10. Teach about side effects and their management

11. Explain about compliance to the treatment