“How long does palliative radiotherapy prolong life?”
My friend will have palliative radiotherapy for lung cancer. How long does palliative radiotherapy prolong life?
4 Answers
You are asking the question of how long does Palliative radiation prolong life in patients with lung cancer. This is very difficult to directly answer because it depends on how much cancer is being irradiated and if the patient has other medical problems that might shorten their life.
Dr. Joshua N. Halpern
Radiation Oncologist
It depends on the primary condition. Outcome will not be determined by the local control of metastases but the overall prognosis. Palliation usually controls only local pain or any other local symptom.
It doesn't prolong life. It shrinks the tumor, so he can have better quality of life, but it doesn't make you live longer.
Khanh Vu
Khanh Vu
Palliative radiation therapy usually does not prolong life. It only improves quality of life such as relieve pain, stop bleeding.
