title: Impact of radiotherapy on pain relief and recalcification in plasma cell neoplasms: long-term experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of radiotherapy on pain relief and on recalcification in patients with osteolytic lesions due to plasma cell neoplasm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pain relief was evaluated according to a 0-10 verbal numerical rating scale (NRS) and recalcification was measured using radiological imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1996-2007, 52 patients were treated (Table 1). Median total dose was 38 Gy (range, 16-50 Gy). Pain be-fore radiotherapy was reported by 45 of 52 (86.5%) patients (Table 2) as being severe (8 ≤ NRS ≤ 10) in 5 (11%), moderate (5 ≤ NRS ≤ 7) in 27 (60%), and mild in 13 (29%). Pain relief was achieved in 41 of 45 patients (91%): complete relief was obtained in 21 (51.2%) and partial relief in 20 patients (48.8%); patients with severe pain experienced resolution and none present-ed an increase of pain. Drugs reduction/suspension was achieved in 7 of the 21 patients with complete response. Of 42 patients evaluable for recalcification (Table 3), 21 (50%) presented a radiological response, which was identified as complete in 16 (38%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm the effectiveness of radiotherapy for pain relief, including a reduction in drug intake, and on recalcification, thus, supporting its use in a multidisciplinary approach.
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Department, University Hospital Gemelli, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiesa
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manfrida
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Za
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Frascino
authors.forename: Berardino
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Bari
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hohaus
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cellini
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mantini
authors.forename: Giuseppe Roberto
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gambacorta
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Stefano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010954:Plasmacytoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium