Single dose palliative irradiation for bony metastasis

315 patients with bony metastasis were given palliative radiation therapy for the control of pain; 69 of these patients received single high dose treatment and the remaining patients were treated by daily fractionation. No difference in the pain relief was observed in either method of irradiation. Morbidity was slightly more with single dose therapy, but was well tolerated. Rapid relief of pain, avoidance of exhausting and painful journey for daily treatment and saving of machine time in the busy radiotherapy department make single dose therapy a preferable modality in the management of bony metastasis.