This paper aims to provide an overview of age related macular degeneration (ARMD) and its radiotherapy management.

ARMD is already the leading cause of adult blindness in the western world. The neovascular form of ARMD is responsible for some 85% of blindness caused by ARMD as a whole. Its aetiology is unknown. The natural course of the disease is rapid progression from onset to disciform scarring and accompanying loss of visual acuity. Laser photocoagulation is only suitable for 10% of patients with neovascular ARMD. Initial studies using low dose fractionated external beam radiotherapy have demonstrated stable visual acuity over the range of 40–93% at short term follow-up. Only transient acute side effects have been observed. No radiation-induced retinopathy or vasculopathy have been observed. Common radiotherapy macula techniques are reviewed, field sizes examined and criteria for a simple macula technique proposed. A subset of patients with rapidly progressing neovascular ARMD may be candidates for rapid treatment starts. Although follow up times have been short, radiotherapy is a promising option for those patients facing imminent blindness due to rapidly progressive neovascular ARMD.

Although it has long been known that fatigue is one of the more common side-effects accompanying radiotherapy treatment, little research into the topic has been done until recently. The article reviews the recent literature highlighting our lack of understanding of what fatigue is, its aetiology, its relationship to radiotherapy treatment and how best to deal with what some patients consider to be a major problem. Finally the paper looks at the evidence of the possible benefit that can be obtained through the use of exercise, a recommendation that is currently at odds with what most radiographers within Britain are advocating to patients.

The research attempts to gain a greater understanding of the experience of radiotherapy from the viewpoint of the female patient with breast cancer. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was employed using semistructured interviews undertaken in the patient's home approximately two weeks after completion of their treatment course. Data analysis resulted in the description of five important categories of experience for the women. Discussion concludes that it is paramount for all health care professionals and therapy radiographers in particular to undertake and promote this type of research in order for them to establish and maintain a true sense of empathy and understanding with their patients. It also helps health care professionals maintain a sense of the importance of the ‘whole experience’ for those in their care. This type of enquiry provides a valuable and yet all too rare insight into aspects of attending for radiotherapy which would otherwise remain buried beneath the bustle of a busy radiotherapy department.

This article is an edited version of a Master's dissertation and as such can only convey the essence of the original work.

This paper explores some of the characteristics associated with learning about the care and management of people with cancer in an interprofessional setting. Most cancer patients have contact with a variety of health care professionals on their cancer journey. This journey is explored for a woman with breast cancer who experiences, reports and receives advice for the chronic fatigue that many such patients have during and after treatments. Recent literature, especially that informed by patients’ viewpoints, indicates that some patients perceive their care as fragmented and can be given conflicting advice from different professionals within the team. This paper demonstrates that working in an interprofessional way is full of complexities for the practitioners involved and argues for interprofessional education as a way towards more effective team work when two or more health care professionals are members of that team.

The paper discusses theoretical aspects of interprofessional education, with a focus on knowledge development through shared learning and how this may be achieved for students studying cancer care. Barriers to the effective development of interprofessional knowledge are elaborated upon.

This report examines the recommendations of The International Commission for Radiation Units and Measurements, ICRU 50 and a typical interpretation of them. It hypothesises that there is a small identifiable group of patients that may be at risk of long term damage due to current radiotherapy treatment to the breast.

The report emphasises the variation in dose obtained when the whole volume of the irradiated breast is considered. The dose distribution beyond the central contour and the effect of lung density is analysed. Even if three-dimensional planning and inhomogeneity correction factors are not available, consideration must be given to their significance.

This report acknowledges that the ICRU reference point is a much-needed method of comparing radiotherapy treatments between hospitals, but points out that it was not intended to be a means of determining dosimetry, despite the suggestion that it may be advantageous if its relative dose is 100%.

The report concludes that there should be greater awareness and attention paid to the recommendation that heterogeneity should be within +7 and −5% of the prescribed dose.

Health care ethics is a term that has come very much to the fore in the National Health Service during the past few years due to greater awareness of the subject and issues involved and challenging attitudes on the part of both health care professionals and patients. With advances in technology conflict of ethics has arisen, further increasing this subject's profile. This paper commences by defining some of the terms associated with health care ethics, followed by an explanation of two of the main underlying philosophical theories of medical ethics in modern health care practice.