BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Most @entity1 with brain @entity3 are treated with palliative @entity75 ( @entity75 ). There is no established definition of palliative response. The aim of this study was to develop and test clinically useful criteria for response following palliative @entity75 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted of @entity1 with symptomatic brain @entity3 treated with @entity75 (20 Gy/5 fractions) and standardised @entity134 tapering. Assessments included observer rating of @entity16 , @entity1 -completed symptom checklist and performance status (PS). Response criteria were operationally defined based on a combination of @entity16 , PS and @entity134 dose. RESULTS: Seventy-five @entity1 were accrued. At 1 month, presenting @entity16 were improved in 14 @entity1 , stable in 17, and worse in 21; 23 @entity1 were not assessed, mainly due to @entity204 or frailty. Using response criteria defined a priori, 15% (95% CI 7-23%) of @entity1 were classified as having a response to @entity138 , 25% no response, and 29% progression; 27% were deceased at or soon after 1 month. A revised set of criteria was tested, with less emphasis on complete tapering of @entity230 : they increased the proportion of @entity1 responding to 39% (95% CI 27-50%) but didn't change the large proportion who did not benefit (44%). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical response to @entity138 of @entity1 with brain @entity3 is multifactorial, comprising symptoms, PS and other factors. Assessment of degree of palliation depend on the exact definition used. More research is needed in this important area, to help validate criteria for assessing palliation after @entity75 .

Radiotherapy for brain XXXX : defining palliative response.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity138 :: ('MESH:C563738', 'Disease') :: ['RT'] @entity75 :: ('MESH:D001927', 'Disease') :: ['WBRT', 'whole brain radiotherapy'] @entity16 :: ('MESH:D009422', 'Disease') :: ['neurological symptoms'] @entity134 :: ('CHEBI:35341', 'Chemical') :: ['steroid'] @entity3 :: ('MESH:D009362', 'Disease') :: ['metastases'] @entity230 :: ('MESH:D013256', 'Chemical') :: ['steroids'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['death']
@entity3 :: (MESH:D009362,Disease) :: ['metastases']
