Cuidados de enfermería en el paciente con cáncer de cabeza y cuello tratado con radioterapia

Radiotherapy is one of the mainstays of the treatment of half of all oncological patients. The field of administration of radiation includes the tumoral volume, the lymph nodes that drain the area and the healthy tissues adjacent to the tumor. For this reason, the effects of radiotherapy also appear in healthy tissues and are more marked in those with a high cell turnover rate, such as the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa and bone marrow. The present article aims to review the possible effects of radiotherapy on healthy tissues in the treatment of head and neck cancer and proposes measures to prevent or reduce toxicity. Aspects related to nursing care and treatment measures for the local adverse effects of radiotherapy are also discussed.