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Title: Adverse Outcomes After Palliative Radiation Therapy for Uncomplicated Spine Metastases: Role of Spinal Instability and Single-Fraction Radiation Therapy

Journal Article · · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [1]
  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)
  2. Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)
  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Blanchard Valley Regional Medical Center, Findlay, Ohio (United States)
  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)
  5. Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

Purpose: Level I evidence demonstrates equivalent pain response after single-fraction (SF) or multifraction (MF) radiation therapy (RT) for bone metastases. The purpose of this study is to provide additional data to inform the incidence and predictors of adverse outcomes after RT for spine metastases. Methods and Materials: At a single institution, 299 uncomplicated spine metastases (without cord compression, prior RT, or surgery) treated with RT from 2008 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The spinal instability neoplastic score (SINS) was used to assess spinal instability. The primary outcome was time to first spinal adverse event (SAE) at the site, including symptomatic vertebral fracture, hospitalization for site-related pain, salvage surgery, interventional procedure, new neurologic symptoms, or cord compression. Fine and Gray's multivariable model assessed associations of the primary outcome with SINS, SF RT, and other significant baseline factors. Propensity score matched analysis further assessed the relationship of SF RT to first SAEs. Results: The cumulative incidence of first SAE after SF RT (n=66) was 6.8% at 30 days, 16.9% at 90 days, and 23.6% at 180 days. For MF RT (n=233), the incidence was 3.5%, 6.4%, and 9.2%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, SF RT (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-5.2, P=.001) and SINS ≥11 (HR=2.5 , 95% CI 1.3-4.9, P=.007) were predictors of the incidence of first SAE. In propensity score matched analysis, first SAEs had developed in 22% of patients with SF RT versus 6% of those with MF RT cases (HR=3.9, 95% CI 1.6-9.6, P=.003) at 90 days after RT. Conclusion: In uncomplicated spinal metastases treated with RT alone, spinal instability with SINS ≥11 and SF RT were associated with a higher rate of SAEs.

OSTI ID:
22458785
Journal Information:
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 93, Issue 2; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2015 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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