External Beam Radiotherapy for Palliation of Pain from Metastatic Carcinoma of the Prostate

Abstract

Radiotherapy often is used for palliation of bone pain from metastatic cancer of the prostate but an objective evaluation of its efficacy in a large series of patients is unavailable. We report the results of external beam irradiation in 62 patients who had bone pain secondary to stage D carcinoma of the prostate. The variables used to judge pain before and after radiotherapy included subjective evaluation of pain, status of activity and quantitation of analgesic use. Complete relief of pain was achieved in 26 patients (42 per cent), partial relief in 22 (35 per cent) and no relief in 14 (23 per cent). On the basis of our experience external beam irradiation is useful palliative therapy for pain from metastatic cancer of the prostate.

Effectiveness of Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Painful Bone Metastases

“…The efficiency of our 4 ´4 Gy schedule was comparable to more conventionally fractionated treatment regimens with published response rates varying between 66% and 86% and pain control rates between 82% and 84% [2,4,17,21,24], but somewhat inferior to the fractionated higher dose treatments of the RTOG 74-02 study as reported by Tong et al [28]. In a recently published review [25] the improved pain relief of higher dose fractionated treatments as observed in the RTOG trial was considered to be worth the additional efforts of the more protracted schedules.…”

Schmerzdiagnose und Schmerztherapie bei malignen urologischen Erkrankungen

“…Zu den tumorreduzierenden Maßnahmen gehört bei urologischen Malignomen die Hormontherapie. Die Radiatio ist vor allem bei Knochenmetastasen oder Tumorprogredienz im kleinen Becken ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Schmerztherapie (2,8). Eine Alternative bei multiplen Knochenmetastasen ist die Strontiumtherapie.…”

Facing Progressive Localized Prostatic Cancer

“…Benson et al [23] and Price et al [24] have shown that patients with widespread local tumours may respond well to local irradiation while receiving hormonal therapy. Irradiation is certainly worth considering if the patient experiences pain due to compression of pelvic nerve com plexes, because the treatment can quite rapidly shrink a large mass obstructing the bladder neck.…”