Low-Dose Radiation Therapy for Benign Painful Skeletal Disorders: The Typical Treatment for the Elderly Patient?

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the short-term and long-term efficacy of low-dose radiation therapy (RT) for calcaneodynia, achillodynia, painful gonarthrosis, and painful bursitis trochanterica in elderly patients aged ≥70 years.

Methods And Materials: Between October 2011 and October 2013, patients aged ≥70 years with painful degenerative disorders of joints were recruited for a prospective trial. Single doses of 0.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Palliative Care: A Comparison of Data From Surveys Among Patients and Professionals.

Purpose: Many cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) during or after their therapy. Because little is known about CAM in palliative care, we conducted 2 surveys among patients and professionals in the palliative setting.

Participants And Methods: Patients of a German Comprehensive Cancer Center were interviewed, and an independent online survey was conducted among members of the German Society for Palliative Care (DGP).

Radiotherapy for non-malignant disorders: state of the art and update of the evidence-based practice guidelines.

Every year in Germany about 50,000 patients are referred and treated by radiotherapy (RT) for "non-malignant disorders". This highly successful treatment is applied only for specific indications such as preservation or recovery of the quality of life by means of pain reduction or resolution and/or an improvement of formerly impaired physical body function owing to specific disease-related symptoms. Since 1995, German radiation oncologists have treated non-malignant disorders according to national consensus guidelines; these guidelines were updated and further developed over 3 years by implementation of a systematic consensus process to achieve national upgraded and accepted S2e clinical practice guidelines.

Selenium supplementation in radiotherapy patients: do we need to measure selenium levels in serum or blood regularly prior radiotherapy?

Considering the review by Puspitasari and colleagues, an additional discussion of the endpoints of the Se supplementation studies described would be helpful. In our view, selenium can safely be given to selenium-deficient cancer patients prior to and during radiotherapy. Therefore, in order to help the radiation oncologist in decision making, we strongly advocate to determine the selenium status prior to and during a potential adjuvant selenium supplementation, e.