Utilizing geriatric skills in radiation oncology.

After heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and is expected to become the leading cause of death in the next decade. Approximately 60% of all cancer patients will receive radiation therapy at some point in their oncology continuum. It becomes important for nurses to be familiar with the physiological changes in older adults and be able to recognize the changes that could occur from an oncology treatment such as radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is one modality that the elderly can tolerate if they have adequate functional status. Astute physical assessment skills are needed to distinguish between normal aging and the acute and long-term effects of radiation therapy.