Background: Relatively uniform documentation systems are used for recording of acute side effects in oncology. Object of this work is to illustrate the applicability of electronic data bases for registration and evaluation of acute side effects in radiation therapy.
Methods: Based on topographic documentation sheets, an electronic data base was developed for each major topographic site. Besides general patient related parameters (TNM, previous chemotherapy, surgical interventions, intercurrent diseases and more), the kind and the degree of acute radiation related side effects are documented for each week of radiation and for day 90 (RTOG) as the joint day between acute and subacute tissue reactions.
Results: The temporal expenditure for the recording of the general patient related parameters of a patient is less than a minute. The weekly documentation can be performed during the daily routine work and needs approximately 5 minutes per week. The structure of the data base enables for later analyses of acute radiation related morbidity.
Conclusions: Electronic data bases enable a fast and systematic recording and evaluation of acute radiation related side effects. The development of particular registration entities for recording of acute side effects may be a possible application and demonstrates the needs of professional developments.