6109 - A program implementation to facilitate intraoperative brachytherapy between hospitals

Background

Brachytherapy unit of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) is a referral centre on Brachytherapy treatments for Catalonia. A total of 700 treatments are performed per year, mainly in gynaecological, prostate and breast cancer. For the last 5 years, intraoperative brachytherapy has been promoted to be done in other centres, outside in the region. That implies that specialist professionals from our cancer centre go to operating rooms in different hospitals. The surgery process is done outside in the Paediatric hospital and the Brachytherapy treatment is realised in the cancer centre ICO. Aim: to describe nursing activities and roles to facilitate the Brachytherapy treatment done outside and in collaboration with other hospitals.

Methods

Descriptive study on cases done last year 2018 with patients outside ICO, most common type of treatments were sarcoma in paediatric tumours, patients with recurrence disease undergoing salvage after surgery or recurrence for breast cancer. Procedure: When a case arrived to the specialist they confirm indication and initiate the process; On the day of surgery, a medical and nurses team from the brachytherapy unit moves to hospital They perform the placement of internal applicators at the time of surgery. Later next 12-24h patient moves to brachytherapy unit to undergo the protocol of radiation. Once the brachytherapy treatment is finished, patient is discharged. The nursing staff of brachytherapy unit takes charge of plan care during treatment.

Results

Pediatric brachytherapy in oncological patient: experience of collaboration of 5 years with 10 patients treated. A total of 53 breast brachytherapy has been done intraoperative: consolidated collaboration, generates around 3 monthly patients from different medical centers. A total of 10 cases done for salvage brachytherapy in patients with recurrence after surgery.

Conclusions

Intraoperative brachytherapy improves the patient’s accessibility to highly specialized treatments. The procedure and development of this treatment in different hospitals improves results in some tumours, reduces the overall time of treatment. Nursing staff has knowledge and skills for the management and care of this patients.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The author.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

The author has declared no conflicts of interest.