The spine instability neoplastic score (SINS) in the assessment of response to radiotherapy for bone metastases

Background. Vertebral metastases are often causing pain and spine instability. Radiotherapy is of significant benefit for painful spine metastases but the response can be very variable. The spine instability neoplastic score (SINS) is a recent classification system for diagnosis of spinal instability caused by vertebral metastases. We analysed the degree of pain relief, the need of drug therapy and the imaging features and the SINS before and after radiotherapy. In particular, we investigated the possible correlation of spine instability defined by pre-treatment SINS with pretreatment pain and with response to radiotherapy. Material/methods. This study included 121 patients with spine metastases treated with palliative 3D conformal radiotherapy. Pain “at rest” and “breakthrough pain”, need for drug therapy in terms of "anti-inflammatory", "weak opioid", "strong opioid", imaging studies and SINS were assessed before and after radiotherapy. Statistical analysis was performed by the correlation coefficient of Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results. Pain relief after radiotherapy was observed in 50.4 and 57.8% of patients in terms of pain at rest and breakthrough pain, respectively. The correlation between pain before radiotherapy and SINS was not statistically significant for both pain at rest (p = 0.4) and breakthrough pain (p = 0.49). The correlation between pain response after radiotherapy and SINS was statistically significant for both pain at rest (p = 0.007) and breakthrough pain (p = 0.047). Discussion/conclusion. The degree of instability, classified according to SINS, resulted to be predictive factor for pain response after radiotherapy. SINS might become a valid tool to identify those patients who can benefit the most from radiotherapy (AU)

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The spine instability neoplastic score (SINS) in the assessment of response to radiotherapy for bone metastases.

BACKGROUND: Vertebral metastases are often causing pain and spine instability. Radiotherapy is of significant benefit for painful spine metastases but the response can be very variable. The spine instability neoplastic score (SINS) is a recent classification system for diagnosis of spinal instability caused by vertebral metastases. We analysed the degree of pain relief, the need of drug therapy and the imaging features and the SINS before and after radiotherapy. In particular, we investigated the possible correlation of spine instability defined by pre-treatment SINS with pretreatment pain and with response to radiotherapy. MATERIAL/METHODS: This study included 121 patients with spine metastases treated with palliative 3D conformal radiotherapy. Pain "at rest" and "breakthrough pain", need for drug therapy in terms of "anti-inflammatory", "weak opioid", "strong opioid", imaging studies and SINS were assessed before and after radiotherapy. Statistical analysis was performed by the correlation coefficient of Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Pain relief after radiotherapy was observed in 50.4 and 57.8% of patients in terms of pain at rest and breakthrough pain, respectively. The correlation between pain before radiotherapy and SINS was not statistically significant for both pain at rest (p = 0.4) and breakthrough pain (p = 0.49). The correlation between pain response after radiotherapy and SINS was statistically significant for both pain at rest (p = 0.007) and breakthrough pain (p = 0.047). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The degree of instability, classified according to SINS, resulted to be predictive factor for pain response after radiotherapy. SINS might become a valid tool to identify those patients who can benefit the most from radiotherapy.

Concurrent chemo-radiotherapy in elderly patients: tolerance and compliance in a series of 137 patients

Introduction: Aggressive cancer treatment is a challenge in elderly patients. The present study aims to assess tolerance in terms of acute toxicity and compliance of concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (cCRT) in a series of patients aged C70 years. Materials and methods Clinical: records of patients aged C70 years who underwent cCRT between January 2005 and December 2013 were reviewed. Concurrent CRT had curative intent in 134 patients (97.8 %) and palliative intent in 3 patients (2.2 %). Chemotherapy (CT) drugs and schedule were selected according to tumor histology. Radiotherapy median dose was 45.0 Gy (range 11-70 Gy) for curative purposes and 54 Gy (range 40-56 Gy) for palliative purposes. Incidence of acute toxicity and compliance to cCRT were analyzed and correlated with age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Results: Overall, 137 patients, 82 males (60 %) and 55 females (40 %), median age 74 years (range 70–90 years) were analyzed. Concurrent CRT schedule was completed by 132 patients (96.4 %). Thirty-one of these patients (23.5 %) temporarily interrupted treatment. Hematological toxicity with grade C1 was observed in 25 patients (18.2 %), gastrointestinal toxicity in 55 (40.1 %), and genitourinary in 13 (9.5 %). Mucositis with grade C1 was recorded in 19 patients (13.9 %). No statistical significant correlation between KPS, CCI, and toxicity was found. A correlation trend between mucositis and patient age (p = 0.05) was observed. Conclusion: Concurrent CRT for elderly was feasible and quite well tolerated. Great attention in prescribing CT dose should be paid to limit acute toxicity (AU)

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Concurrent chemo-radiotherapy in elderly patients: tolerance and compliance in a series of 137 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Aggressive cancer treatment is a challenge in elderly patients. The present study aims to assess tolerance in terms of acute toxicity and compliance of concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (cCRT) in a series of patients aged ≥70 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical records of patients aged ≥70 years who underwent cCRT between January 2005 and December 2013 were reviewed. Concurrent CRT had curative intent in 134 patients (97.8 %) and palliative intent in 3 patients (2.2 %). Chemotherapy (CT) drugs and schedule were selected according to tumor histology. Radiotherapy median dose was 45.0 Gy (range 11-70 Gy) for curative purposes and 54 Gy (range 40-56 Gy) for palliative purposes. Incidence of acute toxicity and compliance to cCRT were analyzed and correlated with age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). RESULTS: Overall, 137 patients, 82 males (60 %) and 55 females (40 %), median age 74 years (range 70-90 years) were analyzed. Concurrent CRT schedule was completed by 132 patients (96.4 %). Thirty-one of these patients (23.5 %) temporarily interrupted treatment. Hematological toxicity with grade ≥1 was observed in 25 patients (18.2 %), gastrointestinal toxicity in 55 (40.1 %), and genitourinary in 13 (9.5 %). Mucositis with grade ≥1 was recorded in 19 patients (13.9 %). No statistical significant correlation between KPS, CCI, and toxicity was found. A correlation trend between mucositis and patient age (p = 0.05) was observed. CONCLUSION: Concurrent CRT for elderly was feasible and quite well tolerated. Great attention in prescribing CT dose should be paid to limit acute toxicity.

Subjective and objective measures of late genitourinary morbidity following hypofractionated radiotherapy in men with prostate cancer.

To value the late genitourinary (GU) morbidity in men treated with a hypofractionated radiotherapy regimen for prostate cancer. Patients with intermediate risk factors according to D'Amico's criteria were selected. The hypofractionated schedule consisted of 15 fractions of 3.63 Gy delivered three times per week for a total dose of 54.3 Gy. Significant changes in storage-symptoms were not found. A significant transient worsening in the score of late effects of normal tissue late effects normal tissue task force (LENT)-subjective, objective, management, analytic (SOMA) urinary-function domain was observed at 12 months with subsequent improvement at 28 months. The assessment of voiding-symptoms and maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) showed that no significant difference was measurable at 12 and 28 months. For PVR, a transient increase at 12 months with a subsequent decrease at 28 months was measured. No significant increase in alpha-blockers usage and in the percentage of men with pathological nonintubated uroflowmetry (NIF) was observed at 12 and 28 months. Finally, patients did not perceive any clinical worsening in their quality of life (QoL) as attested by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)-QoL. Our study seems to suggest that our hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule for the treatment of prostate cancer is safe in terms of late urinary morbidity. Further study will be required to confirm our results.