ONCC Radiation Therapy Nursing Flashcards

What is the most common acute side effect experienced by patients receiving pelvic radiation therapy?

Answer: Diarrhea and bowel urgency

Pelvic radiation frequently causes acute radiation enteritis, manifesting as diarrhea and bowel urgency due to mucosal inflammation.

A patient asks why they must have marks or tattoos placed on their skin before starting radiation therapy. The nurse's best response is:

Answer: The marks ensure the radiation beam is aligned to the same position at every treatment

Skin marks or tattoos serve as reference points for accurate beam alignment, ensuring the radiation is delivered to the exact same target area at each treatment session.

Which of the following best describes xerostomia as a complication of head and neck radiation?

Answer: Dry mouth resulting from radiation damage to the salivary glands

Xerostomia is reduced or absent saliva production caused by radiation damage to the parotid and other salivary glands, leading to difficulty eating, speaking, and an increased risk of dental caries.

Which nursing intervention helps prevent radiation cystitis in a patient receiving pelvic radiation?

Answer: Encouraging 2–3 liters of fluid per day to maintain urinary tract hydration

Adequate hydration (2–3 L/day) dilutes urine and reduces irritation of the bladder mucosa, helping to prevent or minimize radiation cystitis.

A patient completing radiation therapy for breast cancer asks about lymphedema risk. Which statement by the nurse is most accurate?

Answer: Radiation to the axillary region combined with lymph node dissection increases lifetime lymphedema risk

Axillary radiation combined with lymph node dissection impairs lymphatic drainage, creating a lifelong risk of arm lymphedema that patients must monitor and manage.

Total body irradiation (TBI) is most commonly used as part of which treatment approach?

Answer: Conditioning regimen prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

TBI is used as part of myeloablative conditioning before allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplant to eradicate residual malignant cells and suppress the immune system.