Heel spur radiotherapy and radiation carcinogenesis risk estimation.

PURPOSE: Radiotherapy is a nonsurgical alternative therapy of painful heel spur patients. Nonetheless, cancer induction is the most important somatic effect of ionizing radiation. This study was designed to evaluate the carcinogenesis risk factor in benign painful heel spur patients treated by radiotherapy.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Between 1974 and 1999, a total of 20 patients received mean 8.16 Gy total irradiation dose in two fractions. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD(100)) were placed on multiple phantom sites in vivo within the irradiated volume to verify irradiation accuracy and carcinogenesis risk factor calculation. The 20 still-alive patients, who had a minimum 5-year and maximum 29-year follow-up (mean 11.9 years), have been evaluated by carcinogenic radiation risk factor on the basis of tissue weighting factors as defined by the International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 60.

RESULTS

Reasonable pain relief has been obtained in all 20 patients. The calculated mean carcinogenesis risk factor is 1.3% for radiation portals in the whole group, and no secondary cancer has been clinically observed.

CONCLUSION

Radiotherapy is an effective treatment modality for relieving pain in calcaneal spur patients. The estimated secondary cancer risk factor for irradiation of this benign lesion is not as high as was feared.