title: Quality of life and toxicity of stereotactic radiotherapy in pancreatic tumors: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the results of extracranial stereotactic radiotherapy (ESRT) experience in pancreatic cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four noncoplanar fixed beams were used in all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of 16 patients was carried out. Overall response rate was 56.2%. Fifteen patients experienced local and/or distant progression of disease (median follow-up: 24 months). Two-year local progression-free, distant progression-free, and overall survivals were 85.7%, 58.7%, and 50.0%, respectively. Toxicity was less than grade 2 in all, although 1 patient had severe duodenal bleeding. Quality of life scores were unchanged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESRT was associated with low complication rate, and not worsening the patients' quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Unit, Fondazione di Ricerca e Cura Giovanni Paolo II, Università-Cattolica, Campobasso, Italy. gmacchia@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macchia
authors.forename: Alessio G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Morganti
authors.forename: Savino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cilla
authors.forename: Edy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massaccesi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Picardi
authors.forename: Gian Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Mattiucci
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonomo
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tambaro
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pacelli
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piermattei
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Spirito
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.forename: Numa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cellini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deodato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate