A 42-year-old male complains of extreme fatigue and weakness after his first week of radiation therapy. Which of the following responses by the nurse would best reassure him?
A) "These symptoms usually result from radiation therapy; however, we will continue to monitor your laboratory and x-ray studies."
B) "These symptoms are part of your disease and can't be helped."
C) "Don't be concerned about these symptoms. Everybody feels this way after having radiation therapy."
D) "This is a good sign. It means that only the cancer cells are dying."
Ans: A
Feedback: Fatigue and weakness result from radiation treatment and usually don't represent deterioration or disease progression. The symptoms associated with radiation therapy usually decrease after therapy ends, but they may concern the patient and shouldn't be belittled. Radiation destroys both cancerous and normal cells.
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