Current status and future prospects of radiation oncology in Sri Lanka

Ramanathan, V.; Balawardane, Jayantha; Kumara, Appu Hennedige Dilip; Sarasanandarajah, Sivananthan

doi:10.1016/j.ejmp.2022.06.001

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 10 publications

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“…The lack of oncological supportive care in Sri Lanka 9 adds to the workload of the radiation oncologist and may be an impossible task to handle during busy clinics. 15 Involving radiation therapists in patient education may help to overcome these human resource de cits. Moreover, videos or graphical demonstrations prior to the formal consultation may be of help.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Current”, “heated rods” & “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka

Mahadevan,

Appudurai,

Sothipragasam

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Purpose: Significant proportions of patients either refuse or discontinue radiotherapy, even in the curative setting, leading to poor clinical outcomes. This study explores patient perceptions that underlie decisions to refuse/discontinue radiotherapy at a cancer care facility in northern Sri Lanka. Methods: An exploratory descriptive qualitative study was carried out among 14 purposively-selected patients with cancer who refused/discontinued radiotherapy. In-depth semi-structured interviews were transcribed in Tamil, translated into English, coded, and thematically analyzed. Results: All participants referred to radiotherapy as “current” with several understanding the procedure to involve electricity, heat, or hot vapour. Many pointed to gaps in information provided by healthcare providers, who were perceived to focus on side effects without explaining the procedure. In the absence of these crucial details, patients relied on family members and acquaintances to fill these information gaps, often based on second- or third-hand accounts of experiences with radiotherapy. Many felt pressured by family to refuse radiation, feared radiation, or felt ashamed to ask questions, while for others COVID-19 was an impediment. All but three participants regretted their decision, claiming they would recommend radiation to patients with cancer, especially when it is offered with curative intent. Conclusion: Patients with cancer who refused/discontinued radiation therapy have significant information needs. While human resource deficits need to be addressed in low-resource settings like northern Sri Lanka, providing better supportive cancer care could improve clinical outcomes and save resources that would otherwise be wasted on patient preparation for radiotherapy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Current”, “heated rods” & “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka

Mahadevan,

Appudurai,

Sothipragasam

et al. 2023

Preprint

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show abstract

“Current”, “heated rods”, and “hot vapour”: why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in northern Sri Lanka

Mahadevan,

Appudurai,

Sothipragasam

et al. 2024

Support Care Cancer

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Cobalt compensator-based IMRT device: A treatment planning study of head and neck cases

Sengupta

Sponseller

et al. 2023

Physica Medica

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Current status and future prospects of radiation oncology in Sri Lanka

Cited by 3 publications

References 10 publications

“Current”, “heated rods” & “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka

“Current”, “heated rods” & “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka

“Current”, “heated rods”, and “hot vapour”: why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in northern Sri Lanka

Cobalt compensator-based IMRT device: A treatment planning study of head and neck cases

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Current status and future prospects of radiation oncology in Sri Lanka

Cited by 3 publications

References 10 publications

“Current”, “heated rods” &amp; “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka

“Current”, “heated rods” &amp; “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka

“Current”, “heated rods”, and “hot vapour”: why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in northern Sri Lanka

Cobalt compensator-based IMRT device: A treatment planning study of head and neck cases

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

“Current”, “heated rods” & “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka

“Current”, “heated rods” & “hot vapour”: Why patients refuse radiotherapy as a treatment modality for cancer in Northern Sri Lanka