Effectiveness of hypofractionated radiotherapy in painful bone metastases. Two prospective studies with 1 x 4 Gy and 4 x 4 Gy.
BACKGROUND
Although effectiveness of fractionated radiotherapy for painful bone metastases is well documented, there are unanswered questions regarding the adequacy of low-dose short radiation schedules for long-term pain control which give maximum benefit in patients with a short life expectancy.


METHODS
Two consecutive non-randomized prospective follow-up studies were performed at a single institution to analyze pain response and duration of response in patients with a variety of primary tumors. Included were only patients with symptomatic nonvertebral bone metastases and without impending pathologic fracture. Forty-five patients received 1 x 4 Gy to 50 different sites (group I) while 86 patients received 4 x 4 Gy to 96 sites (group II). Pain relief to irradiation was evaluated according to patient interviews using a 4-point categorical scale. Follow-up was performed 7 and 90 days after radiotherapy.


RESULTS
Pain relief after 4 x 4 Gy was significantly superior to 1 x 4 Gy with pain control rates being 86.5% vs 48% at day 7 (after end of treatment) and 80% vs 55% at day 90, respectively. A subgroup analysis of patients treated with 4 x 4 Gy demonstrated a more favorable outcome for breast cancer patients in comparison to patients with other primaries concerning pain relief (96% vs 81%), pain control after 90 days (93% vs 72%), median time to pain progression (9 vs 3 months), and median overall survival (14 vs 5.5 months).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study 4 x 4 Gy proved to be clearly superior to 1 x 4 Gy in relieving pain from symptomatic nonvertebral bone metastases without impending pathologic fracture. Even if radiotherapy with 1 single fraction seems to be applicable in specific cases doses higher than 4 Gy should be chosen. In breast cancer patients pain control seems to be better compared to other primaries.
Bremer
M
M
Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical School Hannover, Germany. bremer.michael@mh-hannover.de
Rades
D
D
Blach
M
M
Krenkel
B
B
Karstens
J H
JH
D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome