The efficiency and tolerance of half-body irradiation (HBI) in patients with multiple metastases - The Krakow experience

Aim: To present our experience regarding the efficiency and tolerance of ha lf-body irradiation in patients with multiple cancer metastases. Patients and Methods: Between January 1986 and December 1997, 102 patients with multiple cancer metastases received half-body irradiation (HBI) at the Center of Oncology - Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute in Krakow. Most of the patients (93/102) had bone metastases (Table 1). The HBI was pe rformed with 9 MV photon beam from Linear accelerator. In 88 patients only one region (upper, mid or Lower) was treated, and 14 patients received uppe r and Lower HBI (13 patients), or upper and mid HBI (one patient) (Table 2) . The mean doses were: 6 Gy in upper HBI, 8 Gy in mid HBI, and 9 Gy in towe r HBI (Table 3). Results: The positive palliative effect (complete or partial pain relief) w as observed in 77 (75.5%) patients (Table 4). Complete pain relief was high er in patients with prostate cancer, and in patients who received mid or Lo wer HBI. During follow-up 47 (46.1%) patients developed pain progression af ter treatment (Table 5). The probability of survival without pain progressi on was higher in patients who developed complete pain relief (86.7% at 6 mo nths, 69.3% at 12 and 24 months) than in patients with partial response (52 .9% at 6 months, 32.8% at 12 months, and 5.5% at 24 months) (Figure 1). In most of the patients (74/102, 72.5%) the tolerance was good. Conclusions: HBI is an efficient method for palliation in patients with mul tiple painful metastases.