title: Radiotherapy for pain relief in locally recurrent colorectal cancer.
abstract: Eighteen patients with local recurrence of colorectal cancer have been treated by external beam radiotherapy for pain relief. Seven received a fractionated course of 4500cGy and the remainder received single fractions of 1000cGy, a number being treated more than once. The median survival for all patients once recurrence had produced pain was 7 months. Treatment benefit was recorded in 71% treated by fractionated courses and in 66% by single fractions. The duration of pain relief was 3 months for each method. The repeatability of single fraction treatment indicates that this is a worthwhile alternative technique, particularly for those in poor general condition.
mesh_terms: D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*