[Repeated irradiation of cancer patients].
Radiotherapy of a recurrent tumour in a site previously irradiated with a full course of radiotherapy is seldom feasible due to extensive toxicity of the cumulated dose. Curative reirradiation may be possible for very selected patients with head and neck cancer and gynaecological tumour. Patients with long recurrence-free intervals and small localized tumours are most likely to benefit from the treatment. Palliative reirradiation of patients with metastatic disease offers good symptom control in the majority of patients with recurrent symptoms from bone metastases. Some patients with brain metastases, spinal cord compression and symptoms from lung tumours may benefit from reirradiation. The general condition of the patient and the effect of the first treatment influence the effect of the second treatment. The side effects of reirradiation are not well documented. It is not possible to give general guidelines for reirradiation. Every reirradiation has to be individualized with respect to diagnosis, specifications of prior treatment, symptoms and prognosis.
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Onkologisk afdeling R. Amtssygehuset i Herlev.
D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010166:Palliative Care