Radiotherapy for symptomatic metastases to the mandible in adults.

Since 1996, seven patients from six radiotherapy facilities that treat more than 2,000 patients per year were treated with radiotherapy for symptomatic metastases to the mandible from primary carcinoma of the prostate (3 patients), carcinoma of the breast (2 patients), adenocarcinoma of the ethmoid sinuses (1 patient), and multiple myeloma (1 patient). All patients presented with pain of several weeks' duration and had radiographic confirmation of a destructive lesion in the mandible. Administered radiotherapy doses ranged from 400 cGy/1 fraction to 4,000 cGy/20 fractions. All patients experienced excellent palliation with complete or almost complete resolution of all symptoms within 1 month. The authors suggest short courses of radiotherapy for symptomatic metastases to the mandible.