Palliative Radiotherapy: Inpatients, Outpatients, and the Changing Role of Supportive Care in Radiation Oncology

Abstract

Palliative radiotherapy is an effective treatment in alleviating many symptoms of advanced cancer. Short courses of radiotherapy provide rapid symptom relief and minimize impact on patients. Patients referred for palliative radiotherapy have many concerns beyond radiotherapy; often, these concerns are not fully addressed in traditional radiotherapy clinics. Discussions of prognosis, patient goals, and concerns are areas for improved collaboration. Innovative, dedicated palliative radiotherapy programs have developed over the past 20 years to provide holistic care to patients referred for palliative radiotherapy and have improved patient-focused outcomes. Advanced radiotherapy techniques may provide opportunities to further improve palliative radiotherapy outcomes.

Keywords: Palliative care; Palliative radiotherapy; Radiation oncology; Supportive oncology.