Yasko J M
Nurs Clin North Am. 1982 Dec;17(4):631-48.
External radiation therapy, or teletherapy, is the use of ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells. Clinical use of ionizing radiation as treatment for cancer began with the discovery of x-rays in 1895, the identification of natural radioactivity (radium) in 1896, and the first reported cure of cancer, a basal cell epithelioma, induced by radiation in 1899. Initially, radiation was administered as a single large dose and produced severe, life-threatening side effects. The basis for the use of ionizing radiation in daily increments for a period of weeks was provided by Regaud in 1922; ten years later, Coutard clinically developed the method of dose fractionation, which remains in use today. Although the use of ionizing radiation as a treatment is over eighty years old, only in recent years have advancements in its clinical application been based on research related to the biologic effect of radiation on human cells. To effectively care for the patient prior to, during, and at the completion of external radiation therapy, the nurse must know the physical and biologic basis of external radiation therapy and its clinical application.
外照射放疗，即远距离治疗，是利用电离辐射来破坏癌细胞。1895年X射线的发现、1896年天然放射性（镭）的鉴定以及1899年首次报道的由辐射治愈的癌症（基底细胞上皮瘤）标志着电离辐射在癌症治疗中的临床应用开始。最初，辐射是以单次大剂量给予的，会产生严重的、危及生命的副作用。1922年，勒戈为以数周时间每天递增剂量使用电离辐射奠定了基础；十年后，库塔德在临床上开发了剂量分割法，该方法至今仍在使用。尽管将电离辐射用作一种治疗手段已有八十多年历史，但直到近年来，其临床应用的进展才基于与辐射对人体细胞生物学效应相关的研究。为了在患者接受外照射放疗之前、期间和结束时有效地护理患者，护士必须了解外照射放疗的物理和生物学基础及其临床应用。
