Conventional Radiation Therapy for Skeletal Metastasis

No signifi cant relationship exists between the authors and the companies/organizations whose products or services may be referenced in this article. Introduction Skeletal metastases are common in many types of cancer, and their incidence varies with the primary site. The majority of patients with skeletal metastases experience pain; nevertheless, modern sophisticated imaging and improved assessment have led to the detection of more patients with asymptomatic bone metastasis. The rationale and decision to utilize radiation therapy in the management of skeletal metastases are evolving. Although conventional short-course external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) still plays an important role in controlling pain and palliating symptoms, the ability to deliver an ablative radiation dose to the vertebrae with image-guided radiation therapy allows select patients to achieve improved pain control and local tumor control.