Half-body irradiation for pain relief
Pene, F.; Schlienger, M.; Schmitt, T.; Izrael, V.; Kinay, M.; Aget, H.; Laugier, A.
European Journal of Cancer and Clinical Oncology 17(7): 753-758
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0277-5379 PMID: 6174343 Document Number: 170332
Half-body irradiation (H.B.I.) is a relatively recent technique in the palliative and analgesic treatment of advanced disease. Patients (17 males and 4 females) were treated with this technique (2 upper and lower half body irradiation, 7 upper half-body irradiation and 12 lower half-body irradiation). The mid-plan dose was 8 grays in 1 fraction, limited to 6 grays at the level of the lungs. The pain relief effect was excellent, in 10 cases and very good in 8 cases. The effect was prompt (before 48 h) and long lasting. General tolerance was excellent without any pulmonary complication. The hematologic tolerance was good even in the patients previously treated by combined chemotherapy. this irradiation seems to be a major weapon as an antalgic treatment of advanced solid tumors. It is proposed as a treatment which will enable tumor reduction in the future.