Early Experience of Strontium-89 Therapy for Pain Palliation in the Patients with Symptomatic Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Lee, Dong Hyeon; Hong, Sung Joon; Chung, Byung Ha

Abstract

In patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma with bony metastasis, pain palliation is an important point in improving their life quality. It is a known fact that local external irradiation is an effective treatment modality for metastatic bone pain. Because bony metastasis often affects multiple sites in prostatic adenocarcinoma, hemibody irradiation is often necessary. But it has various complications. Strontium-89 was administered in 6 patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma with symptomatic multiple bony metastasis whose pain was not controlled with local external irradiation or antiandrogen therapy. In 2 of 6 patients, pain disappeared and in other 2 of 6 patients, pain decreased to 20% of pretreatment level. Hematologic adverse effect did not appear in any patient. Along with decreasing pain, need of analgesics decreased and life quality of the patients improved. However, the PSA level of the patients did not change. Strontium-89 treatment for patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma with symptomatic bony metastasis is a valuable treatment modality in improving life quality of the patients and time-saving when compared with other treatment modalities. However there are some unsolved questions in Strontium-89 treatment such as when to start the treatment and its indications. A prospective study thould be designed including more cases.