Analysis the causes of premature discontinuation of palliative radiotherapy: Experience at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society

Abstract

Background: Radiation therapy is one of the most common palliative treatments for cancer.

Treatment interruption adversely affects treatment outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the causes of treatment discontinuation or premature discontinuation of palliative radiotherapy to obtain more reliable data and help physicians at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital deciding about palliative radiotherapy.

Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in patients underwent palliative radiation therapy between January 2021 and December 2021.

Result: A total of 1,311 patients underwent palliative radiation therapy was included. 1,160 patients (88.5%) completed radiation course, 1074 of these patients (92.6%) completed radiation without treatment break, while 86 patients (7.4%) had temporary treatment break. The most common causes of treatment break included acute side effects and pain. Among 151 patients (11.5%) who did not complete their radiation courses, 25.2% did not start treatment after simulation, 12.6% had near completion, 27.2% had partial completion and 35% received less than half of their radiation course. The most common reason for not completed radiation course was death during radiation treatment.

Conclusion:  Most patients completed their palliative radiation treatment courses. The main cause of treatment break was death during radiation treatment.