Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Spine Metastases-Findings from an Australian Population-Based Study

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Oncology

Background:

• Spine metastases represent a significant clinical challenge, often requiring palliative radiotherapy.
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) offers a precise, high-dose radiation approach for localized tumors.
• Evaluating SBRT utilization for spine metastases is crucial for understanding current treatment trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utilization patterns and trends of SBRT for spine metastases in Australia.
• To identify patient and treatment-related factors associated with SBRT use for spine metastases.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Victorian Radiotherapy Minimum Dataset (VRMD) for a population-based analysis.
• Examined radiotherapy courses for spine metastases between 2012 and 2017.
• Performed multivariate analyses to identify factors associated with SBRT use.

Main Results:

• SBRT use for spine metastases increased from 0.4% in 2012 to 5% in 2017.
• Higher SBRT utilization was observed in patients with prostate cancer and melanoma.
• SBRT use was associated with higher socioeconomic status and private treatment centers.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first Australian population-based data on the rising use of spine SBRT.
• Despite the increase, overall spine SBRT utilization remains low.
• Anticipated future growth in spine SBRT use as it becomes a standard of care for painful metastases.