Palliative Radiotherapy as a Treatment for Carcinoma Invasion of the Sacrum: An Observational Case Series Study

Radiotherapy for carcinoma invasion of the sacrum (CIS) is an alternative treatment to surgery in patients with advanced, inoperable tumors or those not medically eligible for resection of the neoplasm. Herein we present an observational study of patients with imaging-confirmed CIS who were treated non-operatively with radiation.

A retrospective chart review of CIS patients treated with palliative radiotherapy (PR) during a 9-year period (2004-2013) was performed.

Six women and 13 men with an average age of 60 years took part in this study. Most patients (84%) exhibited extrasacral metastases. Primary tumors included lung (n=6), colorectal (n=6), breast (n=3), bladder or kidney (n=2), and liver carcinoma or a tumor in an unknown primary site (n=2). The mean follow-up time was 10 months with a 2-year survival rate of 9%. The majority (71%) of symptomatic patients obtained relief from pain following PR. Half of those individuals who were non-ambulatory prior to therapy regained mobility. There were no acute ill-effects or later complications after irradiation.

Despite the small cohort and poor overall survival rate, non-operative radiation treatment is a beneficial method of palliative care in patients with CIS.