title: Burden of skeletal-related events in prostate cancer: unmet need in pain improvement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Up to 75% of patients with prostate cancer experience metastatic bone disease, which leads to an increased risk for skeletal-related events (SREs) including pathological bone fracture, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcemia of malignancy. Our objective was to systematically review the literature on the impact of SREs on quality of life (QOL), morbidity, and survival with a primary focus on the impact of SREs on pain in prostate cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PubMed, limiting to peer-reviewed English-language human studies published in 2000-2010. The search was based on the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency definition of an SRE, which includes pathologic fracture, spinal cord compression (SCC), hypercalcemia of malignancy, and radiotherapy or surgery to bone resulting from severe bone pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 209 articles were screened, of which 173 were excluded, and 36 were included in this review. Patients with SREs had more pain and worse survival compared with no SREs. Pathologic bone fractures worsened QOL and were associated with shorter survival. Radiation therapy of SCC alleviated pain and improved morbidity. SCC was associated with decreases in patient survival. Radiation therapy and surgery to bone improved pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific SREs are associated with worse outcomes, including increased pain, poorer QOL, morbidity, and survival. Treatment of SREs is associated with improved pain, although there remains a need for more effective treatment of SREs in prostate cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Partnership for Health Analytic Research, LLC, 280 S. Beverly Dr., Suite 404, Beverly Hills, CA, 90212, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Broder
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cherepanov
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Linhares
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents