Tolerance and efficacy of palliative radiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer: A retrospective analysis of single-institutional experiences.
This study was conducted to investigate hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. A total of 31 patients were enrolled in this study, 26 of whom had locally advanced (M0) pancreatic cancer and 5 had metastatic (M1) disease. The patients were treated with palliative RT (6-30 Gy in 1-10 fractions over a period of 1 day-2 weeks). Treatment-related toxicity was classified according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0. Early mild toxicity was observed. A total of 17 patients (55%) achieved good pain control without pharmacological therapy, and 12 patients (39%) reduced their use of analgesics; in the remaining 2 patients (6%), there was no change in analgesic use. Late high-grade (>3) toxicity was not observed. The average survival time for the 31 patients was 9 months. The 1-year overall survival rate was 16%. Palliative RT was well-tolerated and was able to prolong the survival time. The majority of the patients achieved better pain control with palliative RT.
Department of Radiotherapy, Lubuski Center of Oncology, Regional Hospital in Zielona Góra, 65-001 Zielona Góra, Poland; Department of Radiotherapy, Center of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Gliwice Branch, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland.
Edyta
E
Wolny-Rokicka
First Department and Clinic of General, Gastroenterological and Endocrinological Surgery, Wrocław Medical University, 50-369 Wrocław;, Poland.
Krzysztof
K
Sutkowski
Department of Medical Physics, Center of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Gliwice Branch, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland.
Aleksandra
A
Grządziel
Department of Radiotherapy, Center of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Gliwice Branch, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland.
Żaneta
Ż
Dorsz
Department of Epidemiology and Silesia Cancer Registry, Center of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Gliwice Branch, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland.
Andrzej
A
Tukiendorf
University of Zielona Góra, Faculty of Computer, Electrical and Control Engineering, 65-001 Zielona Góra, Poland.
Jakub
J
Lipiński
Department of Radiotherapy, Center of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Gliwice Branch, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland.
Jerzy
J
Wydmański
advanced pancreatic cancer; hypofractionated radiotherapy; pain; palliative radiotherapy; pancreatic cancer