Osteosarcoma and Exposure to Radiation
Introduction
The determination to cure the osteosarcoma calls for a radiation treatment that uses X-rays with high energy. The main objective is to eliminate cancerous cells; thus, preventing them from spreading. Radiation intervention is treated as a localized therapy in which it would be accurate to indicate that it is recommended for bone cancer treatment. Notably, osteosarcoma will often resist radiation treatment; thus, the therapy is applied in combination with other treatments. Radiation might be applied in the slowness of tumour growth as well as controlling signs such as swelling and pain. However, the latter is only done when the cancer returns or even the surgery impossible.
Problem Statement
When an osteosarcoma patient is detected, radiation therapy is recommended and the most effective mechanism is the EBRT (external beam radiation therapy). The approach is applied carefully to penetrate the tissue, organs as well as the skin of the patient (American Cancer Society, 2020). The radiation is delivered to the targeted precise sites of cancer. Sadly, the targets are deeply located in the body; thus, the challenge begins when the need to avoid other healthy tissues arise. Arguably EBRT therapy is an issue that contributes to body side effects. Hence, there exists some worry on whether the mechanism shall continuously be applied with existing side effects (MOFFITT, 2018). Surprisingly, the desire to adjust to the EBRT mechanism would mean intervening with the treatment process. Therefore, the most preferred option is to align with the mechanism’s procedure and deal with the side effects that emerge.
Literature Review
Mechanism of External Beam Therapy and Side Effects
EBRT type of radiation normally focuses beams with high energy on the tumour from the machine; hence, the cancer cells are expected to die. The team performing the radiation maintains careful measures when using EBRT to try to reduce the side effects. The effects are depending on the radiation dose as well as where the therapy is aimed. The short-run issues involve the effects on the areas of the skin where the radiation is being received (Lindsey, Markel, & Kleinerman, 2017). Therefore, the problem can range beginning from less critical loss of hair until extreme reactions are experienced on the skin. However, if the radiation is aimed at the pelvis, this can lead to diarrhea, nausea as well as urinary issues. Sadly, the radiation also effects do not only affect the old but also the younger patients with osteosarcoma. In fact, the experts have it that EBRT can influence the growth of bones in the body. For instance, if radiation is done in a single leg, the other leg would tend to be much bigger (Ottaviani & Jaffe, 2009). However, if the child is almost grown or almost to grow fully, the issue of slowness growth in the bones might less likely to occur.
Also, it is believed that radiation will affect other parts of the human body. Hence, radiation to the lungs or walls of the chest can negatively affect the functioning of the heart as well as lungs. Besides, the jaw part under radiation might cause affection on the salivary glands, which leads to the problems of problems and dryness of the mouth. According to the American Cancer Society (2020) treatment is performed on both the skull and the spine. Although radiation therapy is crucial when performed in these areas (skull and spine), the brain and spinal cord nerves are affected. The therapy can result in damage to the nerve, thinking troubles and headaches. The problems are more serious when a patient settles after the initial and second year after therapy (American Cancer Society, 2020). However, spine radiation might lead to weakness and numbness in the body organs. The intestines and the bladder are damaged when radiation is performed to the pelvis. The latter results in bowel movements or urinary problems. Besides, the reproductive organs can also be damaged affecting the fertility of a person in later life. As a result, the doctors try to avoid the organs whenever possible by shielding them.
Radioactive Medications
Drugs such as radium-233 and Samarium-153 are most of the time used to slow the growth of tumours and treat symptoms of advanced osteosarcoma (Tolomeo et al., 2019). The medications are injected to kill cells of cancer and often combined with external beam radiation. Sadly, the medication lowers the counts of blood cells which raise bleeding or infection risk. The latter mostly happens when counts of blood are low in the body. Another primary concern with radiation treatment is that it might lead to a new form of cancer that is impacted in the body organ already gone under radiation (American Cancer Society, 2020). However, the risk is low and depends on a higher radiation dose; thus, it does not limit people from receiving radiation treatment.
Conclusion
Currently, radiation therapy is vital to patients with osteosarcoma thus external beam radiation therapy is the most effective treatment. However, EBRT has several effects on the body organs of the patients when applied. Luckily the doctors try to maintain effective measures to minimize the risks that might occur. Although radiation therapy is critical, most of the patients have tried to survive. It would be accurate to say that radiation therapy side effects do not limit the patients from receiving the treatment.
References
American Cancer Society. (2020). Radiation Therapy for Osteosarcoma. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/osteosarcoma/treating/radiation-therapy.html
Lindsey, B. A., Markel, J. E., & Kleinerman, E. S. (2017). Osteosarcoma overview. Rheumatology and Therapy, 4(1), 25-43.
MOFFITT. (2018). Radiation Therapy for Osteosarcoma. Retrieved from https://moffitt.org/cancers/osteosarcoma/treatment/radiation-therapy/
Ottaviani, G., & Jaffe, N. (2009). The etiology of osteosarcoma. In Pediatric and Adolescent Osteosarcoma (pp. 15-32). Springer, Boston, MA.
Tolomeo, F., Gatti, M., D’Ambrosio, L., Rampino, M., Boglione, A., Merlini, A., … & Bertotto, I. (2019). Tumor control with palliative external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in advanced and unresectable osteosarcoma (OS) progressing after standard treatment.
Osteosarcoma and Exposure to Radiation
Name
Institution
Osteosarcoma and Exposure to Radiation
Introduction
The determination to cure the osteosarcoma calls for a radiation treatment that uses X-rays with high energy. The main objective is to eliminate cancerous cells; thus, preventing them from spreading. Radiation intervention is treated as a localized therapy in which it would be accurate to indicate that it is recommended for bone cancer treatment. Notably, osteosarcoma will often resist radiation treatment; thus, the therapy is applied in combination with other treatments. Radiation might be applied in the slowness of tumour growth as well as controlling signs such as swelling and pain. However, the latter is only done when the cancer returns or even the surgery impossible.
Problem Statement
When an osteosarcoma patient is detected, radiation therapy is recommended and the most effective mechanism is the EBRT (external beam radiation therapy). The approach is applied carefully to penetrate the tissue, organs as well as the skin of the patient (American Cancer Society, 2020). The radiation is delivered to the targeted precise sites of cancer. Sadly, the targets are deeply located in the body; thus, the challenge begins when the need to avoid other healthy tissues arise. Arguably EBRT therapy is an issue that contributes to body side effects. Hence, there exists some worry on whether the mechanism shall continuously be applied with existing side effects (MOFFITT, 2018). Surprisingly, the desire to adjust to the EBRT mechanism would mean intervening with the treatment process. Therefore, the most preferred option is to align with the mechanism’s procedure and deal with the side effects that emerge.
Literature Review
Mechanism of External Beam Therapy and Side Effects
EBRT type of radiation normally focuses beams with high energy on the tumour from the machine; hence, the cancer cells are expected to die. The team performing the radiation maintains careful measures when using EBRT to try to reduce the side effects. The effects are depending on the radiation dose as well as where the therapy is aimed. The short-run issues involve the effects on the areas of the skin where the radiation is being received (Lindsey, Markel, & Kleinerman, 2017). Therefore, the problem can range beginning from less critical loss of hair until extreme reactions are experienced on the skin. However, if the radiation is aimed at the pelvis, this can lead to diarrhea, nausea as well as urinary issues. Sadly, the radiation also effects do not only affect the old but also the younger patients with osteosarcoma. In fact, the experts have it that EBRT can influence the growth of bones in the body. For instance, if radiation is done in a single leg, the other leg would tend to be much bigger (Ottaviani & Jaffe, 2009). However, if the child is almost grown or almost to grow fully, the issue of slowness growth in the bones might less likely to occur.
Also, it is believed that radiation will affect other parts of the human body. Hence, radiation to the lungs or walls of the chest can negatively affect the functioning of the heart as well as lungs. Besides, the jaw part under radiation might cause affection on the salivary glands, which leads to the problems of problems and dryness of the mouth. According to the American Cancer Society (2020) treatment is performed on both the skull and the spine. Although radiation therapy is crucial when performed in these areas (skull and spine), the brain and spinal cord nerves are affected. The therapy can result in damage to the nerve, thinking troubles and headaches. The problems are more serious when a patient settles after the initial and second year after therapy (American Cancer Society, 2020). However, spine radiation might lead to weakness and numbness in the body organs. The intestines and the bladder are damaged when radiation is performed to the pelvis. The latter results in bowel movements or urinary problems. Besides, the reproductive organs can also be damaged affecting the fertility of a person in later life. As a result, the doctors try to avoid the organs whenever possible by shielding them.
Radioactive Medications
Drugs such as radium-233 and Samarium-153 are most of the time used to slow the growth of tumours and treat symptoms of advanced osteosarcoma (Tolomeo et al., 2019). The medications are injected to kill cells of cancer and often combined with external beam radiation. Sadly, the medication lowers the counts of blood cells which raise bleeding or infection risk. The latter mostly happens when counts of blood are low in the body. Another primary concern with radiation treatment is that it might lead to a new form of cancer that is impacted in the body organ already gone under radiation (American Cancer Society, 2020). However, the risk is low and depends on a higher radiation dose; thus, it does not limit people from receiving radiation treatment.
Conclusion
Currently, radiation therapy is vital to patients with osteosarcoma thus external beam radiation therapy is the most effective treatment. However, EBRT has several effects on the body organs of the patients when applied. Luckily the doctors try to maintain effective measures to minimize the risks that might occur. Although radiation therapy is critical, most of the patients have tried to survive. It would be accurate to say that radiation therapy side effects do not limit the patients from receiving the treatment.
References
American Cancer Society. (2020). Radiation Therapy for Osteosarcoma. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/osteosarcoma/treating/radiation-therapy.html
Lindsey, B. A., Markel, J. E., & Kleinerman, E. S. (2017). Osteosarcoma overview. Rheumatology and Therapy, 4(1), 25-43.
MOFFITT. (2018). Radiation Therapy for Osteosarcoma. Retrieved from https://moffitt.org/cancers/osteosarcoma/treatment/radiation-therapy/
Ottaviani, G., & Jaffe, N. (2009). The etiology of osteosarcoma. In Pediatric and Adolescent Osteosarcoma (pp. 15-32). Springer, Boston, MA.
Tolomeo, F., Gatti, M., D’Ambrosio, L., Rampino, M., Boglione, A., Merlini, A., … & Bertotto, I. (2019). Tumor control with palliative external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in advanced and unresectable osteosarcoma (OS) progressing after standard treatment.