Supportive care in radiotherapy: a review.
The normal tissue tolerance and the related early side effects represent the main constraint on the total radiation dose which can be administered to the target volume. The most common disorders during radiotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy are summarized in this review. Since in the recent years great advances have been made towards the improvement of acute tolerance, practically every adverse symptoms can be controlled or lowered with an adequate treatment. Some suggestions are reported in order to prevent or lower the degree and the incidence of major complications, specifically mucositis-related symptoms like stomatitis, diarrhea, cystitis. Possibly, a multicenter effort is to be made in order to optimize the quality of supportive care for irradiated patients in all radiation therapy centers.
Ausili-Cèfaro
G
G
Divisione di Radioterapia II, Cattedra di Radioterapia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy. gausili@rm.unicatt.it
Marmiroli
L
L
D001066:Appetite / Q000528:radiation effects; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004231:Diuresis / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy