Development and evaluation of radiographer led telephone follow up following radical radiotherapy to the prostate. A report of a Macmillan Cancer Support Sponsored Pilot project at Mount Vernon Hospital

Abstract

Radiotherapy for localised prostate cancer is an effective and well tolerated treatment. Following radiotherapy, most men are followed up either in doctor or specialist nurse led hospital outpatient clinics. Attending clinics may be of little personal benefit as the majority of patients have few ongoing symptoms post radiotherapy and have very good cancer prognoses.Recognising the limitations outpatient clinic follow up, we developed a radiographer led model of remote telephone follow up of patients completing radiotherapy for low to intermediate risk prostate cancer. Standardised toxicity assessments were performed and patient satisfaction assessed.Radiographer led follow up detected similar levels of post radiotherapy GI, GU and sexual toxicity as outpatient clinic appointments, with a very high level of patient satisfaction compared to routine outpatient clinics.We believe that radiographer led telephone follow up provides an alternative model for long term follow up of men after prostate radiotherapy.