Table 2.
Indications, sites of treatment, and time to treatment of 262 radiotherapy courses in 149 patients with multiple myeloma.
| No. of RT-treated sites | % of RT-treated sitesa | |
|---|---|---|
| Indications for RT | ||
| Palliation of bone pain | 109 | 42 |
| Spinal cord compression | 26 | 10 |
| Involvement of cranial nerves, neural foramina, cauda equina | 17 | 6 |
| Pathological fracture | ||
| Prophylaxis of impending fracture | 33 | 13 |
| Post-fracture RT | 40 | 15 |
| Involvement near vital organs/EMD | 25 | 10 |
| Esthetic reasons (painless bony protuberance) | 12 | 5 |
| Sites for RT | ||
| Skull/facial bones | 26 | 10 |
| Clavicle/scapula | 20 | 8 |
| Humerus/radius | 20 | 8 |
| Ribs/sternum | 17 | 6 |
| Spine | ||
| Cervical spine | 16 | 6 |
| Thoracic spine | 47 | 18 |
| Lumbar spine | 32 | 12 |
| Sacrum/pelvis | 29 | 11 |
| Femur/tibia | 41 | 16 |
| Soft tissues/EMD | 14 | 5 |
| Time to RT | ||
| Within 2 months of diagnosis | 134 | 51 |
| 3–12 months from diagnosis | 18 | 7 |
| >1 year from diagnosis | 110 | 42 |
aPercentages may not total 100 due to rounding.
EMD, extramedullary disease.