PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - ROSSELLA DI FRANCO
AU  - SARA FALIVENE
AU  - VINCENZO RAVO
AU  - MASSIMO MAMMUCARI
AU  - ENNIO SARLI
AU  - STELLA BAFFINI
AU  - GIAMPAOLO DE PALMA
AU  - ALFONSINA PEPE
AU  - MARIANNA TRAETTINO
AU  - MATTEO MUTO
AU  - SALVATORE CAPPABIANCA
AU  - PAOLO MUTO
TI  - Management of Painful Bone Metastases: Our Experience According to Scientific Evidence on Palliative Radiotherapy
DP  - 2014 Feb 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 1011--1014
VI  - 34
IP  - 2
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/34/2/1011.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/34/2/1011.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2014 Feb 01; 34
AB  - Aim: Our aim was to evaluate retrospectively the role of the radiotherapy in the multi-disciplinary management of pain due to bone metastases. Patients and Methods: A total of 305 patients received radiotherapy with or without bisphosphonate and antalgic drugs. Tolerability and efficacy were evaluated using a Numerical Rating Scale, Pain Intensity Difference evaluation scale related to administration of the drug, a 5-point verbal scale of the patients' general impression. Results: We found differences in some patient subgroups: pain reduction was significantly more evident in patients treated with a single-fraction radiotherapy scheme. Overall, 68% of patients experienced an improvement in pain control using concomitant drugs during radiotherapy. Conclusion: Our study underlines the role of radiotherapy in the management of metastatic bone pain. The use of rapid-onset opioids to prevent predictable pain is a crucial step in managing radiotherapy. An interdisciplinary approach is recommended.