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Prevalence of palliative radiotherapy abstracts presented at the annual scientific meetings of the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology: 2003–2021

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Abstract

Purpose

Approximately half of all radiotherapy (RT) is delivered with palliative intent. Clinical research in palliative RT aims to manage symptoms, improve quality of life (QoL), evaluate supportive care, and determine optimal dose-fractionation schedules. Our aim was to describe the prevalence of palliative research at the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO) Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) over time and compare this analysis to previously published work which evaluated the years 1992–2002.

Methods

Published abstracts (2003–2021) were independently reviewed by two authors who categorized each as curative-intent; palliative-intent; pertaining to both populations; or neither. Abstracts were considered palliative if they described incurable malignancy and interventions primarily for symptom control or QoL. Type of study, primary, site treated, and symptoms palliated were recorded. Descriptive and summary statistics were calculated including one-way ANOVA test for trend.

Results

Three hundred thirty-nine out of 4566 abstracts (7.4%, range 2.4–13.9% per year) were classified as palliative. 7.7% (26/339) described phase I–III trials. The main primary site was the lung (39/339) and the most common metastatic site was the bone (34.2%). QoL, symptom and toxicity outcomes were reported in 31.6% (107/339), 37.8% (128/339) and 17.7% (60/339), respectively. The most common symptom investigated was pain (38/339). The proportion of abstracts classified as curative, palliative or reporting toxicity endpoints demonstrated significant change over time (all p<0.0001).

Conclusion

While proportion of palliative themed abstracts has increased with time, there remains a significant gap before equivalence with the prevalence of palliative RT in clinical practice is achieved.

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Abbreviations

ASM:

Annual Scientific Meeting

ASTRO:

American Society for Radiation Oncology

CARO:

Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology

CNS:

Central nervous system

GI:

Gastrointestinal

GU:

Genitourinary

Gyne:

Gynecologic

PC:

Palliative Care

PRT:

Palliative radiotherapy

QoL:

Quality of life

RO:

Radiation Oncologist

RT:

Radiation therapy

SABR:

Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy

SBRT:

Stereotactic body radiation therapy

SCPC:

Symptom control and Palliative Care

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Saveen Sidhoo, Julie Cuartero & Alysa Fairchild

  2. Department of Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Sunita Ghosh

  3. Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Elizabeth A. Barnes

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Elizabeth A. Barnes

  5. Department of Radiation Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Julie Cuartero & Alysa Fairchild

Authors
  1. Saveen Sidhoo
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  2. Sunita Ghosh
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  3. Elizabeth A. Barnes
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  4. Julie Cuartero
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  5. Alysa Fairchild
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by SS and AF. Statistical analysis was performed by SG. The first draft of the manuscript was written by AF and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alysa Fairchild.

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Sidhoo, S., Ghosh, S., Barnes, E.A. et al. Prevalence of palliative radiotherapy abstracts presented at the annual scientific meetings of the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology: 2003–2021. Support Care Cancer 31, 525 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07937-7

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