Radiotherapy of skeletal metastases.

Radiotherapy plays an important role in treatment of bone metastases. <br /> The mayor problem associated with bone metastases is pain, pathological fractures and a spinal cord compression. Radiotherapy is employed as a palliative treatment, mainly to relieve pain.<br /> 1.Radiotherapy with a single dose of 5-8 Gy/T is an efficient method of pain management especially in patients with bone metastases outside the vertebral column. This treatment can be provided as a day procedure.<br /> 2.Multi-fractionated irradiation - patients receive 20 Gy/T in 5 fractions or 30 Gy/T in 10 fractions. This is advocated for patients with metastases in the vertebral column or bones of the pelvis.<br /> 3.Half- body irradiation is designed for patients with multiple bone metastases. It's a single dose treatment. The upper half of body is irradiated with a dose of 6 Gy/T, the lower part with a dose of 8 Gy/T. Patients need a special preparation beforehand (steroids, hydratation) and hospitalization afterwards.