[Possibilities of palliative radiotherapy]

Today, about every second patient with carcinoma is cured, which means on the other hand that half of the patients get a metastasis and/or a recurrence. The symptoms may be manifold. Physician and patient are looking for a palliative treatment. A reliable method is the radiation therapy-especially for brain and bone metastases. It should be applied for a short time. The tumor patient has the right to be particular about the time being available for him. Most of the patients stay rather at home than in the hospital. We undertake the palliative radiotherapy preferably in the ambulant setting. The single dose should be high and the total dose low. Therefore, a few administrations with greater intervals are sufficient. The effect of the palliative radiation therapy extends with increase of the single dose. The side effects are minor. In the following, we will explain the indications of the palliative/symptomatic radiation therapy.