A Systematic Review of Prognostic Factors in Patients with Cancer Receiving Palliative Radiotherapy: Evidence-Based...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiotherapy
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Prognostication for cancer patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy is challenging.
• Accurate prognostication is crucial for optimizing treatment decisions in advanced cancer care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature and identify prognostic factors for patients receiving palliative radiotherapy.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for prognostication in advanced cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of medical literature from 2005 to 2023.
• Extraction and classification of studies based on relevance, type, and evidence quality.
• Identification of clinical and biological prognostic factors and models.

Main Results:

• 57 papers were evaluated, identifying numerous clinical and biological prognostic factors.
• Twenty prognostic models were identified for clinical application.
• Moderate evidence supports the use of prognostic factors and models to guide palliative radiation decisions, including SBRT and re-irradiation.

Conclusions:

• Several factors and tools can aid in prognostication and clinical decision-making for palliative radiotherapy.
• Further validation of these tools in clinical settings, including electronic medical records, is recommended.
• Future research should explore the prediction of radiation response to better understand causal factors.