GammaTile: The Newest Innovation in Brain Brachytherapy

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Oncology
• Radiation Therapy

Background:

• Malignant and aggressive brain tumors are typically managed with systemic treatments (chemotherapy, immunotherapy) and radiation therapy.
• Previous brain brachytherapy methods had significant adverse effects, limiting their use.
• GammaTile® is a novel, FDA-approved tile-based radioactive device implanted during tumor removal for brain tumors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide neuroscience nurses with a comprehensive understanding of tile-based brain brachytherapy.
• To highlight the differences in nursing care required for GammaTile® compared to older brachytherapy techniques.

Main Methods:

• Literature search across PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCO.
• Keywords included "brachytherapy," "GammaTile®," "brain tumors," "nursing care," and "malignancies."
• Included 15 relevant articles for background and nursing care.

Main Results:

• Fifteen articles were identified to inform neuroscience nurses about tile-based brachytherapy.
• Literature specifically on nursing care for tile-based brain brachytherapy is limited.
• Only two relevant nursing care articles were found within the last 40 years.

Conclusions:

• Neuroscience nurses need to be knowledgeable about GammaTile® as its use increases.
• Care protocols for GammaTile® differ significantly from previous brachytherapy methods.
• Updated knowledge is crucial for nurse and patient safety, as well as for patient/family education.