Return to flip book view

SUPERFICIAL RADIOTHERAPY PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET

SUPERFICIAL RADIOTHERAPY PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET What Is Superficial Radiotherapy Treatment Superficial radiotherapy is a type of treatment that uses high energy radiation to destroy cancer cells on the skin s surface It is a non invasive procedure that does not require surgery and it is often used to treat skin cancer that has not spread beyond the surface of the skin During surface radiotherapy a machine delivers a beam of radiation to the area of the skin that needs to be treated The radiation destroys cancer cells by damaging their DNA and preventing them from dividing and growing Healthy cells surrounding the cancer cells are also a ected but they are usually able to repair themselves more quickly than cancer cells which makes them less likely to be permanently damaged Patient Pathway Step 1 Patient Mark Up Before beginning your superficial treatment your consultant will outline the precise area on your body to be treated This is known as the mark up This will involve drawing a template on your skin with a temporary marker pen of the exact area that is for treatment and is usually slightly bigger than the visible cancer Templates and photographs of this mark up will be taken There will be a doctor Radiation Therapist and Physicist in the room They may talk over you as they are discussing the best possible way to plan your treatment Please be reassured that this is normal and is in the sole interest of getting you the best treatment Sometimes special shields will be required to protect the eye inside the nose or inside the lip Your therapist will

explain further during your mark up appointment if you require any of these This appointment is generally much longer than the treatment itself and can take anywhere up to 1 hour in total Once the mark up process is complete the treatment can be planned Step 2 Treatment Superficial radiotherapy is a quick simple and painless process You will lie sit on the treatment couch in as comfortable a position as possible The machine will then be positioned over the area to be treated and will make light contact with the skin Once the machine has been set up the therapists will stand in the control room adjacent to the treatment room They can hear and see you at all times so if you need any assistance just call out or raise your hand The treatment session will take approximately 10 15 minutes in total What To Expect During Treatment Will I feel any discomfort or pain during or after the treatment The treatment itself is painless but you may notice some discomfort or a warm sensation in the treated area afterwards Are there side e ects Side e ects from superficial radiotherapy are usually mild and temporary These are listed and explained below Temporary skin changes and advice Temporary skin changes will occur in the treated area These include redness dryness scaling and itchiness

These skin changes usually occur 1 2 weeks after treatment begins and may last up to 4 6 weeks after your final treatment The treated skin may scab over several times before it fully heals If there is hair within the treatment area you will notice gradual thinning and hair loss here Patients may shave but only with electric shavers Do not use pre shave or after shave lotions Keep the skin clean and dry Do not apply makeup fake tan near the treatment area Moisturizers such as E45 cream Aqueous cream or Aloe Vera 99 9 may be applied to the treated area as needed Permanent skin changes and advice Permanent skin changes can occur and may develop months to years after radiotherapy treatment These include increased sensitivity to summer and winter temperatures increased sensitivity to the sun s rays You should use sun protection with high SPF 50 whenever you are outdoors Other changes can include changes to the skin texture including smoother thinner or thicker skin permanent hair loss or patchy regrowth in the treated area development of spider veins telangiectasia and less commonly chronic skin irritation skin ulceration and rarely the development of a second cancer in the treatment area

How Many Treatments Will I Have Your doctor will decide on the number of treatments you will have This can vary between 5 and 20 treatments which will be delivered daily or alternate days Monday Friday This can change depending on the type of lesion location and size What Happens When I Finish Treatment After your treatment is complete your Radiation Oncologist will schedule follow up appointments to monitor your progress and check for any signs of recurrence It is important to keep all of these appointments and to report any new symptoms or changes in the treated area to your healthcare team Further Information Further information on this and other related topics is readily available from Irish Cancer Society 43 45 Northumberland Road Dublin 4 Tel 01 231 0500 Fax 01 231 0555 Email helpline irishcancer ie Website www cancer ie Beacon Hospital s Radiotherapy Department operates Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays from 8 00am to 4 00pm Contact details below In an emergency at the weekend or after hours please attend your local emergency department Beacon Radiotherapy Department Beacon Hospital Sandyford Dublin 18 Tel 01 293 6691 Fax 01 293 6657

Version 1 6 2023 Beacon Hospital Sandyford Dublin 18 D18 AK68 Tel 01 293 6600 www beaconhospital ie