Hemibody irradiation in advanced prostatic carcinoma

Hemibody irradiation is a safe and effective technique for rapid palliation of the osseous metastases so common in advanced prostatic carcinoma. The technique is especially well suited to patients who are debilitated and who have multiple symptomatic disease sites unresponsive either to hormonal therapy or even to previous localized irradiation. Because survival is likely to be short, pain control often is maintained until death.