Patient reported upper gastro-intestinal symptoms associated with fractionated image-guided conformal radiotherapy for metastatic spinal cord compression

Background and purpose

Palliative radiotherapy is given to sustain or improve quality of life for patients with advanced cancer. Radiotherapy may however result in symptomatic side effects, which may affect the patient negatively. This prospective longitudinal study of 30 patients aimed at investigating the incidence and severity of early toxicity, particularly focusing on dysphagia, esophagitis and mucositis, following fractionated radiotherapy for cervical and thoracic metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC), as well as determining the relationship between esophageal dose and early upper gastro-intestinal symptoms.

Materials and methods

Thirty patients receiving radiotherapy of 3Gyx10 for MSCC were included in the study. Patients were assessed for a total of 7 weeks from onset of radiotherapy using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) questionnaire. Upper gastro-intestinal symptoms and severity were assessed from the tenth and eleventh question section of the ESAS questionnaire of “other problems” and how much this affected them. The relationships between the mean and maximum esophageal doses and incidence of dysphagia, esophagitis or mucositis were estimated and dose response curves determined.

Results

Eleven patients reported esophageal symptoms (average duration eleven days, range 1–18 days). Incidence of esophageal toxicity in patients treated at Th8 or above was 79 percent, while no patients treated below Th8 reported any symptoms (p < 0.001). Furthermore, 2 out of 3 patients irradiated at the cervical region reported substantial changes in taste sensation.

Risk of symptoms correlated with both mean and maximum esophageal dose and may be a useful tool in planning radiotherapy for MSCC, potentially reducing early upper gastro-intestinal toxicity.