A Single-Center Experience of the Same-Day Palliative Radiotherapy for Patients Referred to the Radiotherapy...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Palliative Care

Background:

• Rapid initiation of radiotherapy is vital for palliative care in advanced cancer.
• Same-day palliative radiotherapy addresses urgent patient needs.
• Assessing the current status of this service is essential for optimizing cancer care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the incidence, patient demographics, and outcomes of same-day palliative radiotherapy.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of various radiotherapy regimens in a Japanese institution.
• To determine treatment waiting times and identify key indications for this urgent service.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 96 patients receiving same-day palliative radiotherapy (2016-2023).
• Data collected included patient characteristics, primary cancer site, indications, radiotherapy regimens, response rates, and waiting times.
• Analysis focused on oncologic emergencies and specific palliative indications.

Main Results:

• Annual incidence of same-day palliative radiotherapy was 5.9%.
• Common indications included malignant spinal cord compression (often prostate cancer-related) and symptomatic brain metastases.
• High response rates observed: 69.0% for spinal cord compression, 91.7% for brain metastases, and 100% for hollow organ compression/bleeding.
• Mean consultation-to-treatment time was 262 ± 90 minutes, with 84% of patients treated for oncologic emergencies.

Conclusions:

• Same-day palliative radiotherapy is indispensable for managing oncologic emergencies.
• Established criteria for the appropriateness of same-day palliative radiotherapy are needed.
• This service significantly impacts patient outcomes in advanced cancer care.