Palliative radiotherapy fractionation schedules prescribed are dependent on the distance a patient travels to receive treatment

Mark Barnes; Manpreet S Tiwana; Stacy Miller; Andrew Kiraly; Ivo A Olivotto; Scott Emmons; Robert A Olson

doi:10.1016/j.radonc.2015.10.023

Palliative radiotherapy fractionation schedules prescribed are dependent on the distance a patient travels to receive treatment

Radiother Oncol. 2015 Nov;117(2):390-2. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2015.10.023. Epub 2015 Nov 8.

Authors

Mark Barnes¹, Manpreet S Tiwana², Stacy Miller³, Andrew Kiraly⁴, Ivo A Olivotto⁵, Scott Emmons⁴, Robert A Olson⁶

Affiliations

¹ BC Cancer Agency - Centre for the North, Canada.
² BC Cancer Agency - Centre for the North, Canada; University of Northern British Columbia, Canada.
³ BC Cancer Agency - Centre for the North, Canada; University of British Columbia, Canada.
⁴ University of Northern British Columbia, Canada.
⁵ University of British Columbia, Canada; BC Cancer Agency - Vancouver Centre, Canada.
⁶ BC Cancer Agency - Centre for the North, Canada; University of Northern British Columbia, Canada; University of British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address: rolson2@bccancer.bc.ca.

PMID: 26522059
DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2015.10.023

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of the distance a patient travelled to the treatment centre on the use of single fraction RT for bone metastases. There was significant variability in the prescription of SFRT by distance at which the patient lives from a cancer centre (p<0.001).

Keywords: Bone metastases; Multiple fraction; Palliative radiotherapy; Patient travel distance; Single fraction.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Bone Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
Dose Fractionation, Radiation*
Female
Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data*
Humans
Male
Palliative Care / methods*
Travel / statistics & numerical data*