Hemibody irradiation in advanced prostatic carcinoma
Kuban, D.A.; Schellhammer, P.F.; el-Mahdi, A.M.
Urologic Clinics of North America 18(1): 131-137
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0094-0143 PMID: 1704159 Document Number: 387127
In summary, hemibody irradiation has developed as a safe, efficient technique for palliating multiple sites of symptomatic osseous metastases, which occur so often in advanced prostatic carcinoma. The rapidity, frequency, and duration of pain relief, as well as the convenience to the patient of a solitary treatment to multiple symptomatic areas simultaneously, make this type of treatment especially appealing. By following premedication and radiation dose guidelines, both acute and delayed side effects can be kept tolerable or at a minimal incidence. Although sequential hemibody radiation has also been explored as "systemic" therapy, the results in prostatic carcinoma have not proved dramatic, and complications have been considerable. Hormonal therapy would certainly seem to be less life-threatening and equally beneficial according to present data. As a palliative treatment, however, hemibody irradiation is a pragmatic option for relieving prostatic cancer pain.