Palliative radiation therapy for symptomatic advance breast cancer

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 5282 - 6
• Main Authors: Jacobson, Galia, Kaidar-Person, Orit, Haisraely, Ory, Galper, Shira, Rabin, Tatiana, Dromi Shahadi, Ilanit, Lawrence, Yaacov Richard, Symon, Zvi, Akiva Ben-David, Merav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 05-03-2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/67/1347; 692/308; 692/4028; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Breast - pathology; Breast - radiation effects; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - radiotherapy; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - transmission; Dose Fractionation, Radiation; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Electrons - adverse effects; Electrons - therapeutic use; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fractionation; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Infection Control - standards; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - radiotherapy; Palliation; Palliative Care - methods; Pandemics; Pandemics - prevention & control; Photons - adverse effects; Photons - therapeutic use; Radiation Oncology - standards; Radiation therapy; Radiodermatitis - epidemiology; Radiodermatitis - etiology; Retrospective Studies; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84872-9

In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of palliative breast radiation therapy (RT), with single fraction RT compared with fractionated RT. Our study showed that both RT fractionation schemas provide palliation. Single fraction RT allowed for treatment with minimal interference with systemic therapy, whereas fractionated RT provided a more durable palliative response. Due to equivalent palliative response, at our institution we have increasingly been providing single fraction RT palliation during the COVID-19 pandemic.