RT Journal Article
T1 Use of palliative radiotherapy in brain and bone metastases (VARA II study).
A1 Expósito, Jose
A1 Jaén, Javier
A1 Alonso, Enrique
A1 Tovar, Isabel
K1 Palliative radiation therapy
K1 Variability
K1 Brain metastases
K1 Bone metastases
K1 Andalucía
K1 Atención paliativa
K1 VARA II
K1 Neoplasias Óseas
K1 Neoplasias Encefálicas
K1 Dosificación Radioterapéutica
K1 Humanos
AB INTRODUCTIONMetastases are detected in 20% of patients with solid tumours at diagnosis and a further 30% after diagnosis. Radiation therapy (RT) has proven effective in bone (BM) and brain (BrM) metastases. The objective of this study was to analyze the variability of RT utilization rates in clinical practice and the accessibility to medical technology in our region.PATIENTS AND METHODSWe reviewed the clinical records and RT treatment sheets of all patients undergoing RT for BM and/or BrM during 2007 in the 12 public hospitals in an autonomous region of Spain. Data were gathered on hospital type, patient type and RT treatment characteristics. Calculation of the rate of RT use was based on the cancer incidence and the number of RT treatments for BM, BrM and all cancer sites.RESULTSOut of the 9319 patients undergoing RT during 2007 for cancer at any site, 1242 (13.3%; inter-hospital range, 26.3%) received RT for BM (n = 744) or BrM (n = 498). These 1242 patients represented 79% of all RT treatments with palliative intent, and the most frequent primary tumours were in lung, breast, prostate or digestive system. No significant difference between BM and BrM groups were observed in: mean age (62 vs. 59 yrs, respectively); gender (approximately 64% male and 36% female in both); performance status (ECOG 0-1 in 70 vs. 71%); or mean distance from hospital (36 vs. 28.6 km) or time from consultation to RT treatment (13 vs. 14.3 days). RT regimens differed among hospitals and between patient groups: 10 × 300 cGy, 5 × 400 cGy and 1x800cGy were applied in 32, 27 and 25%, respectively, of BM patients, whereas 10 × 300cGy was used in 49% of BrM patients.CONCLUSIONSPalliative RT use in BM and BrM is high and close to the expected rate, unlike the global rate of RT application for all cancers in our setting. Differences in RT schedules among hospitals may reflect variability in clinical practice among the medical teams.
PB BioMed Central
YR 2012
FD 2012-08-03
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10668/770
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10668/770
LA en
NO Expósito J, Jaén J, Alonso E, Tovar I. Use of palliative radiotherapy in brain and bone metastases (VARA II study). Radiat Oncol; 7:131
NO Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't;
DS RISalud
RD Apr 11, 2025