[Pain and quality of life following palliative radiotherapy of bone metastases].
OBJECTIVE
Palliative irradiation is used to provide pain relief and to increase quality of life. Most studies exclude patients with advanced cancer disease and, therefore, a positive selection results. This prospective clinical study investigates the effect of palliative radiotherapy on pain and quality of life of patients with painful bone metastases.


METHODS
263 patients with bone metastases due to advanced cancer were observed with respect to pain and quality of life during a 2-month course of radiotherapy. Missing data were substituted by the LOCF method (last observation carried forward) to prevent a biased reduction of data.


RESULTS
Radiotherapy resulted in pain relief. In the complete group, pain medication was not increased. Quality of life was not affected positively. Side effects of radiotherapy increased remarkably.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiotherapy leads to pain relief. However, risks and benefits must be considered critically due to side effects.
Sauer
Nina
N
Klinik für Psychosomatische und Allgemeine Klinische Medizin, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. nina_sauer@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Leising
Daniel
D
Wild
Beate
B
Treiber
Martina
M
Henningsen
Peter
P
Jakobsen
Thorsten
T
D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010166:Palliative Care; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome