Clinical oncology : a journal of the Royal College of Radiologists
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · Jan 2019
Barriers to Referral for Palliative Radiotherapy by Physicians: A Systematic Review.
Palliative radiotherapy (PRT) can relieve symptoms and improve quality of life, but remains underutilised, possibly due to lack of referrals. We conducted a systematic review to study barriers impeding referral for PRT. ⋯ Published high-quality data on barriers to PRT referral are limited to survey studies. Barriers to PRT referral include referrers' unfamiliarity regarding risks and benefits, cumbersome referral processes and perceived inconvenience of treatment. Interventions to increase referrals should be tailored to different professional groups and may include increased expert participation in multidisciplinary palliative care, shortening treatment courses and in-person interprofessional education.