Impact of Radiotherapy on Pain Relief and Recalcification in Plasma Cell Neoplasms

• DOI: 10.1007/s00066-010-2155-9
• Publication Date: 2011-02-18T17:19:42Z
• Authors: Mario Balducci; Silvia Chiesa; Stefania Manfrida; Elena Rossi; Tommaso Za; Vincenzo Frascino; Berardino De Bari; Stefan Hohaus; Francesco Cellini; Giovanna Mantini; Giuseppe Roberto ...; Maria Antonietta ...; Antonello Leone; Vincenzo Valentini; Valerio De Stefano
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Bone Neoplasms; Osteolysis; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Bone Density; Humans; Radiation Injuries; Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Radiotherapy; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; Palliative Care; Radiotherapy Dosage; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Plasma Cell Neoplasms; Calcium; Female; Multiple Myeloma; Follow-Up Studies; Plasmacytoma

To evaluate the impact of radiotherapy on pain relief and on recalcification in patients with osteolytic lesions due to plasma cell neoplasm.Pain relief was evaluated according to a 0-10 verbal numerical rating scale (NRS) and recalcification was measured using radiological imaging.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%).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.