title: [Observation of the short term therapeutic effectiveness of body gamma-knife in 48 patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the short-term therapeutic effectiveness of body gamma-knife in patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma were treated by body gamma-knife therapy. The dosage distribution and other radiotherapeutic plans were established on the basis of the carcinoma position, clinical target volume, and patient health condition. The isodose curve was 50%-60% and covered about 95% of the target volume. The single dose was 350-450cGy. The radiation was performed once every one or two days for 10-12 times.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 33 patients with back pain. 63.6% of the patients got completely controlled, 30.3% pain remitted, and 6.1% ineffective after 2 to 18 months of therapy. The analgesic effective rate was 93.9%. Among 28 patients with obstructive jaundice, 21 patients (75.0%) recovered. Among 42 patients who received CT, tumor disappeared in 5 patients (11.9%), tumor size decreased in 30 patients (71.4%), remained unchanged in 5 patients (11.9%), and enlarged in 2 patients (4.8%). The 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month overall survival rates were 77.1%, 37.5%, and 10.4%, respectively. The whole process was tolerable for all patients and no severe side-effect was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Body gamma-knife can achieve a high local control rate and survival rate. Its short-term therapeutic effectiveness is satisfactory. Body gamma-knife is a safe and reliable treatment option for patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gamma-Knife, Radiotherapy Center, Fujian Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, China.
authors.forename: Cai-xing
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Da-yu
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: He-guang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhi-mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome