30-Day Mortality after Palliative Radiotherapy

Palliative radiotherapy (PRT) is a well-established treatment option for the palliation of symptoms related to advanced cancer. Common indications for PRT include pain and fracture prophylaxis from bone metastases, hemostasis, and neurological symptoms from spinal cord compression and/or brain metastases. Due to possible short term side effects and the fact that radiation often requires several weeks for full effect, many have cautioned its use in patients with a mortality estimate of < 30 days. Recently a large meta-analysis was published in the Green Journal which included 42 studies and 88,516 patients with advanced cancer who received PRT (Kutzko et al….

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Now accepting nominations!

SPRO is pleased to offer two awards for individuals who have made notable contributions to the field of palliative radiation oncology through clinical care, patient advocacy, education, or research. Lifetime Service Award This award recognizes an individual whose service to the field over a period of a decade or more has resulted in an indelible transformation and advancement of the field of palliative radiation oncology. Rising Star Award This award recognizes an individual who is either a trainee or within the first two years of an academic appointment whose work shows notable promise to be transformative to the field of…

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FORT Update – Palliative Radiation Perspective

Patients with lymphoma have historically been excluded from palliative radiation oncology trials given that these tumors are more radioresponsive than other solid tumors. Though radiation dose/fractionation schemes used to palliate lymphoma are often extrapolated from those used for solid tumors, we highlight here unique considerations for palliation of patients with indolent, non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas. FORT (Follicular Radiotherapy Trial), a phase 3 randomized trial, compared whether low-dose radiation therapy (RT) of 4 Gy in 2 fractions was non-inferior in local control to the standard 24 Gy in 12 fractions for patients with either follicular (FL) or marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). Target…

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Congratulations to Dr. Tracy Balboni!

ASCO honors Dr. Tracy Balboni with the 2021 Walther Cancer Foundation Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Endowed Award. Dr. Tracy Balboni, MD, MPH, FAAHPM, was honored with the 2021 Walter Cancer Foundation Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Endowed Award.  Established in 2017, this award recognizes a leader who has made a significant contribution to palliative and supportive care in oncology through the prevention, assessment and management of cancer- and treatment-related suffering. Dr. Balboni is a Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School, Program Director of the Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, and Clinical Director of the Dana-Farber/Brigham and…

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Resident Member Executive Committee

The SPRO executive committee would like to welcome our newest member, Dr. Jordan Hill, who joins as our resident member. We were thrilled by the number of applications for this spot. Thank you to all who applied and submitted a nomination. Meet Dr. Jordan Hill, resident member of the SPRO executive committee: A little about me I completed my undergraduate degree in exercise science at Brigham Young University (BYU), Utah. During my studies I met my lovely wife, Heather, who is from Gilbert Arizona. I am a dual citizen (Canadian/American) and as a result my wife and I took the…

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Upcoming CPROG Virtual Event

SAVE THE DATE! The Canadian Palliative Radiation Oncology Group (CPROG), led by Dr. Kristopher Dennis and now formally under the umbrella of the new Supportive Care Committee of the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO), will be hosting a virtual event on November 17th. Please email admin@spro.org if you would like to request the Zoom invitation. Topic: CTG SC.24 / TROG 17.06: A Randomized Phase II/III Study Comparing 24Gy in 2 Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) Fractions Versus 20Gy in 5 Conventional Palliative Radiotherapy (CRT) Fractions for Patients with Painful Spinal Metastases Presenter: Dr. Sten Myrehaug, core SC.24 trial Committee Member and Radiation…

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