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Published on: June 7, 2015
Short course accelerated radiation therapy (SHARON) in palliative treatment of advanced solid cancer in older
Eleonora Farina1, Jenny Capuccini1, Gabriella Macchia2
1Radiation Oncology Center, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine - DIMES, University of Bologna, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Objectives:
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a conformal Short Course Accelerated Radiation therapy (SHARON) for symptomatic palliation of locally advanced or metastatic cancers in older patients.
Materials And Methods:
This is a pooled analysis on patients aged ≥80 years selected between subjects enrolled in 3 phase I-II studies on a short course palliative treatment of advanced or metastatic cancer. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the symptoms response rate produced by accelerated radiotherapy delivered in 4 total fractions in twice a day. Total dose ranged between 14 Gy and 20 Gy while dose/fraction between 3.5 and 5 Gy.
Results:
A total of 48 patients were included in this analysis. Twenty-six patients (54.2%) had advanced primary or metastatic head and neck tumors, 11 (22.9%) locally advanced or metastatic thoracic cancers, 11 (22.9%) complicated bone metastases. The majority of patients presented pain (60.4%). With a median follow-up time of 5.5 months, no G4 acute and late toxicities were recorded. The overall palliative response rate was 91.7% with a median duration of palliation of 4 months.
Conclusion:
Short course accelerated radiotherapy in locally advanced or metastatic cancers is effective in terms of symptom relief and well tolerated even in older patients.
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