title: Variation in Practice Patterns of Korean Radiation Oncologists for Spine Metastasis between 2009 and 2014.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Korean Society of Radiation Oncologists (KOSRO) conducted the Patterns of Care Study (PCS) of radiotherapy (RT) for spine metastases in 2009. The current study was conducted to investigate current practice patterns and compare them with the results of the PCS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey questionnaire was composed of 10 questions regarding general information and seven questions for each of two clinical scenarios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-four members of the KOSRO answered at least one question on the web-based questionnaire. The yearly number of patients treated who underwent palliative spine RT was greater than 200 in 14 (25.9%), 51 to 100 in 13 (24.1%), and 31 to 50 in 11 respondents (20.4%). Scenario 1 described a patient presenting with cord compressive spine metastasis in multiple bones and liver metastasis from non-small cell lung cancer. Thirty gray (Gy) in 10 fractions was chosen by 35 respondents (64.8%). Scenario 2 described a case of a single spine metastasis without progression after targeted therapy. Thirty Gy in 10 fractions was chosen by 19 respondents (35.2%), and a single fraction or less than four fractions of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) were selected by 18 respondents (33.3%). When compared with the 2009 PCS, practice patterns of Korean radiation oncologists had not changed significantly over 5 years, except that SABR emerged as a new treatment modality in the selected population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 2014 PCS demonstrated that multiple fraction RT is still preferred in a considerable proportion of Korean radiation oncologists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Medical Device Management and Research, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Medical Device Management and Research, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Chan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoonsun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Institute for Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woong Sub
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Koom
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Si Yeol
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D000072378:Radiation Oncologists / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Data collection; Korea; Neoplasm metastasis; Physician’s practice patterns; Radiotherapy; Spine