Ultra-low-dose radiation therapy relieves bone pain from multiple myeloma
A short course of ultra-low-dose radiation therapy relieved painful bone lesions from multiple myeloma for most patients in a multi-institutional Phase II clinical trial. The findings suggest that a lower-intensity approach could help ease patients' pain without interrupting other treatment and with almost no side effects.
A new clinical trial suggests that an ultra-low-dose radiation therapy can effectively relieve bone pain caused by multiple myeloma, a type of cancer affecting plasma cells in the bone marrow. The study, conducted at seven institutions, found that a short course of radiation therapy, either as a single dose of 4 Gy or two doses of 2 Gy, provided significant pain relief for most patients, with 81% achieving pain control without additional radiation.
The approach, which involved very low radiation doses, resulted in minimal side effects, primarily low-grade fatigue. The pain relief persisted over time, with 86% of patients experiencing relief six months after treatment. The results, presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, indicate that this lower-intensity radiation strategy could help patients access relief earlier in their disease course, potentially allowing for better management of multiple painful lesions and preserving bone marrow function for future treatments.
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