Randomized controlled study of pain education in patients receiving radiotherapy for painful bone metastases

• Published in: Radiotherapy and oncology 2023-08, Vol.185, p.109687-109687, Article 109687
• Main Authors: Geerling, Jenske I., van der Linden, Yvette M., Raijmakers, Natasja J.H., Vermeulen, Karin M., Mul, Veronique E.M., de Nijs, Ellen J.M., Westhoff, Paulien G, de Bock, Geertruida H., de Graeff, Alexander, Reyners, Anna K.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bone metastases; Bone Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Bone Neoplasms - secondary; Humans; Pain - etiology; Pain - radiotherapy; Pain education program; Palliative Care - methods; Quality of Life; Radiotherapy; Research Design; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0167-8140; 1879-0887
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109687

•Short-course radiotherapy ameliorates pain of bone metastases in the majority of patients.•A pain education program for patients treated with radiotherapy for painful bone metastases results in more pain control compared to usual care.•A nurse-led pain education program on pain control and quality of life can benefit patients with pain due to cancer. Although short-course radiotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with painful bone metastases, pain is not always sufficiently controlled. We therefore investigated the additional effect of a nurse-led pain education program on pain control and quality of life (QoL). In this multicenter study, patients with solid tumor bone metastases and a worst pain intensity of ≥5 on a 0–10 numeric rating scale (NRS) were randomized between care as usual (control-group) and care as usual plus the Pain Education Program (PEP-group). PEP consisted of a structured interview and personalized education with follow-up phone calls. Patients completed the Brief Pain Inventory, EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL and BM22 at week 0, 1, 4, 8 and 12. The primary outcome was pain control, defined as the number of patients whose worst pain intensity was