A Single Radiation Treatment Is Better and More Economical Than Multiple Fraction Radiation in Cancer

The American Society for Radiation Oncology and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine lists multiple-fraction radiation as one of the unnecessary treatments that a cancer patient is subject to. The medical effect of radiation is pain reduction and not life extension. A study proved that small doses of multiple-fraction radiation produce the same result as a single large dose with the same side effects. Since it required repeated visits to the center multiple doses just added to the patient’s financial burden too The doctors are incentivized by the number of treatments they do rather than the success of their therapy and therefore they prefer to continue with the age old belief that ‘more is better’. So it is necessary to delink financial gain of doctors from the volume of treatment conducted by them. Although it may still be necessary to administer multiple fraction radiation to patients of some metastases especially of the spine, most cancers do not require more than one radiation.