Coia L R
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111, USA.
Can J Oncol. 1996 Feb;6 Suppl 1:62-8; discussion 84.
In fact that radiation therapy is often the most effective means of palliating symptoms caused by cancer is well recognized in the United States. Estimates of the proportion of patients treated in the US with radiation therapy who are treated for palliative rather than curative intent range from 15% to 50% and depend on the geographic location, cancer incidence, referral patterns, etc. All radiation oncologists in the United States have had significant experience with the use of palliative radiation therapy during their residency and in their practice. Estimates from patterns of care studies indicate that over 250,000 patients were treated with palliative radiation therapy at a cost of between $1.0 and $1.8 billion in 1994. The scope of this presentation will cover four aspects of palliative radiation therapy in the United States: 1. existing practice patterns; 2. factors affecting treatment patterns; 3. the cost of palliative radiation therapy; and 4. present research and guidelines developments efforts.
事实上，放射治疗通常是缓解癌症所致症状的最有效手段，这在美国已得到广泛认可。在美国，接受放射治疗以缓解症状而非治愈为目的的患者比例估计在15%至50%之间，这取决于地理位置、癌症发病率、转诊模式等因素。美国所有放射肿瘤学家在住院实习期间及实际工作中都有使用姑息性放射治疗的丰富经验。医疗模式研究的估计表明，1994年有超过25万名患者接受了姑息性放射治疗，费用在10亿至十八亿美元之间。本报告的范围将涵盖美国姑息性放射治疗的四个方面：1. 现有治疗模式；2. 影响治疗模式的因素；3. 姑息性放射治疗的费用；4. 当前的研究和指南制定工作。
