International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Oct 2010
Multidisciplinary team contributions within a dedicated outpatient palliative radiotherapy clinic: a prospective descriptive study.
Patients with bone metastases may experience pain, fatigue, and decreased mobility. Multiple medications for analgesia are often required, each with attendant side effects. Although palliative-intent radiotherapy (RT) is effective in decreasing pain, additional supportive care interventions may be overlooked. Our objective was to describe the feasibility of multidisciplinary assessment of patients with symptomatic bone metastases attending a dedicated outpatient palliative RT clinic. ⋯ Systematic screening of this population revealed previously unmet needs, addressed in the form of custom verbal and written recommendations. Multidisciplinary assessment is associated with a high number of recommendations and decreased symptom distress. Our findings lend strong support to the routine assessment by multiple supportive care professionals for patients with advanced cancer being considered for palliative RT.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Oct 2010
Patterns of practice in palliative radiotherapy for painful bone metastases: impact of a regional rapid access clinic on access to care.
External beam radiotherapy (RT) is commonly indicated for the palliation of symptomatic bone metastases, but there is evidence of underutilization of this treatment modality in palliative care for cancer populations. This study was conducted to investigate factors that influenced the use of palliative RT services at a regional comprehensive cancer center. ⋯ A rapid access service model for palliative RT facilitated access to RT. Travel distance and other factors remained substantial barriers to use of palliative RT services. The pattern of practice suggests an unmet need for symptom control in patients with bone metastases.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Oct 2010
Differential impact of whole-brain radiotherapy added to radiosurgery for brain metastases.
The authors investigated whether the addition of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) provided any therapeutic benefit according to recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class. ⋯ These results suggest that RPA classification should determine whether or not WBRT is added to SRS. WBRT may be recommended to be added to SRS for patients in whom long-term survival is expected on the basis of RPA classification.
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Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Sep 2010
A population-based study of subsequent primary malignancies after endometrial cancer: genetic, environmental, and treatment-related associations.
To examine the risk of subsequent primary malignancies (SPMs) in women diagnosed with endometrial cancer. ⋯ Genetic, environmental, and treatment-related factors influence SPM risk. Genetic factors may contribute to the increased risk of colorectal cancer. Smoking's negative effect on endometrial cancer risk factors might explain the decreased risk of lung and oropharyngeal cancer. Patients treated with radiotherapy likely have a small but significantly increased risk of bladder, vagina, colon, and soft-tissue SPM.