title: Effectiveness and toxicity of single-fraction radiotherapy with 1 x 8 Gy for metastatic spinal cord compression.
abstract: Toxicity and functional outcome were evaluated in 199 MSCC-patients irradiated with 1 x 8 Gy. Motor function improved in 54/199 patients (27%). Patients who regained walking ability were 20/78 (26%). Long-term-survivors (> or =12 months) who needed re-irradiation for in-field-recurrence were 19/65 (29%). Acute toxicity was mild, late toxicity not observed. A randomised trial comparing single-fraction RT to multi-fraction RT is mandatory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany. rades.dirk@gmx.net
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rades
authors.forename: Lukas J A
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stalpers
authors.forename: Maarten C C M
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hulshof
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zschenker
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.forename: Caro C E
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Koning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome