[Epicondylopathia humeri. The indication for, technic and clinical results of radiotherapy]

DEGRO guidelines for the radiotherapy of non-malignant disorders. Part II: Painful degenerative skeletal disorders

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The purpose of this article is to summarize the updated DEGRO consensus S2e guideline recommendations for the treatment of benign painful degenerative skeletal disorders with low-dose radiotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This overview reports on the role of low-dose radiotherapy in the treatment of enthesiopathies (shoulder syndrome, trochanteric bursitis, plantar fasciitis, and elbow syndrome) and painful arthrosis (knee, hip, hand, and finger joints). The most relevant aspects of the DEGRO S2e Consensus Guideline Radiation Therapy of Benign Diseases 2014 regarding diagnostics, treatment decision, dose prescription as well as performance of radiotherapy and results are summarized.

RESULTS

For all indications mentioned above, retrospective and some prospective analyses have shown remarkable effects in terms of pain relief. Nevertheless, the Level of Evidence (LoE) and the Grade of Recommendation (GR) vary: LoE 1b-4 and GR A-C.

CONCLUSION

Low-dose radiotherapy for painful degenerative skeletal disorders is effective in the majority of the patients and therefore it may be a reasonable therapeutic alternative when simple and non-invasive methods have been used without persistent success. For all discussed entities, single fraction doses of 0.5-1.0 Gy and total doses of 3.0-6.0 Gy/series applied with 2-3 fractions per week are recommended.

Benign painful elbow syndrome. First results of a single center prospective randomized radiotherapy dose optimization trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of two different dose-fractionation schedules for radiotherapy (RT) of patients with painful elbow syndrome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between February 2006 and February 2010, 199 consecutive evaluable patients were recruited for this prospective randomized trial. All patients received RT in orthovoltage technique. One RT course consisted of 6 single fractions/3 weeks. In case of insufficient remission of pain after 6 weeks a second radiation series was performed. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either single doses of 0.5 or 1.0 Gy. Endpoint was pain reduction. Pain was measured before, right after, and 6 weeks after RT by a visual analogue scale (VAS) and a comprehensive pain score (CPS).

RESULTS

The overall response rate for all patients was 80% direct after and 91% 6 weeks after RT. The mean VAS values before, after and 6 weeks after treatment for the 0.5 and 1.0 Gy groups were 59.6 ± 20.2 and 55.7 ± 18.0 (p = 0.463), 32.1 ± 24.5 and 34.4 ± 22.5 (p = 0.256), and 27.0 ± 27.7 and 23.5 ± 21.6 (p = 0.818). The mean CPS before, after, and 6 weeks after treatment was 8.7 ± 2.9 and 8.1 ± 3.1 (p = 0.207), 4.5 ± 3.2 and 5.0 ± 3.4 (p = 0.507), 3.9 ± 3.6 and 2.8 ± 2.8 (p = 0.186), respectively. No statistically significant differences between the two single dose trial arms for early (p = 0.103) and delayed response (p = 0.246) were found.

CONCLUSION

RT is an effective treatment option for the management of benign painful elbow syndrome. For radiation protection reasons the dose for a RT series is recommended not to exceed 3.0 Gy.

Radiation therapy for benign diseases: patterns of care study in Germany

BACKGROUND

Radiotherapy of benign diseases is controversial and rarely applied in Anglo-American countries, whereas in other parts of the world it is commonly practiced for several benign disorders. Similar to a European survey, a patterns of care study was conducted in Germany.

METHOD

Using a mailed questionnaire, radiation equipment, treatment indication, number of patients, and treatment concepts were assessed in 1994, 1995, and 1996 in 134 of 152 German institutions (88%): 22 in East and 112 in West Germany; 30 in university hospitals and 104 in community hospitals. Average numbers of each institution and of all institutions were analyzed for frequencies and ratios between regions and among institutions. Radiation treatment concepts were analyzed.

RESULTS

A mean of 2 (range 1-7) megavoltage and 1.4 (range 0-4) orthovoltage units were available per institution; 32 institutions (24%) had no orthovoltage equipment. A mean of 20,082 patients were treated annually: 456 (2%) for inflammatory diseases (221 hidradenitis, 78 local infection, 23 parotitis; 134 not specified) 12,600 (63%) for degenerative diseases (2711 peritendinitis humeroscapularis, 1555 epicondylitis humeri; 1382 plantar/dorsal heel spur; 2434 degenerative osteoarthritis; 4518 not specified); 927 (5%) for hyperproliferative diseases (146 Dupuytren's contracture, 382 keloids; 155 Peyronie's disease; 244 not specified); 1210 (6%) for functional disorders (853 Graves' orbitopathy; 357 not specified); and 4889 (24%) for other disorders (e.g., 3680 heterotopic ossification prophylaxis). In univariate analysis, there were geographic (West vs. East Germany) differences in using radiation therapy (RT) for inflammatory and degenerative disorders, and institutional differences (university versus community hospitals) in using RT for hyperproliferative and functional disorders (p < 0.05). The prescribed dose concepts were mostly in the low dose range, <10 Gy but varied widely and inconsistently within geographic regions and institutions.

CONCLUSION

Radiation therapy is a well-accepted and frequently practiced treatment for several benign diseases in Germany; however, there are significant geographic and institutional differences. As the number of orthovoltage units decreases, an increasing patient load will demand more megavoltage units, which may compromise the cost-effectiveness of this treatment. Only 4% of all clinical institutions have been involved in controlled clinical trials. To maintain a high level of RT service to other disciplines, RT treatment guidelines, quality control, and continuing medical education are required.