Clinical oncology : a journal of the Royal College of Radiologists
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · May 2009
Multicenter StudyDexamethasone for the prophylaxis of radiation-induced pain flare after palliative radiotherapy for symptomatic bone metastases: a phase II study.
Pain flare occurs in over one-third of patients receiving palliative radiotherapy for bone metastases. A single dose of dexamethasone can decrease the incidence of pain flare during the first 2 days immediately after radiotherapy. We conducted a phase II prospective study to investigate the prophylactic role of prolonged dexamethasone. ⋯ Dexamethasone is effective in the prophylaxis of radiotherapy-induced pain flare after palliative radiotherapy for bone metastases. Randomised studies are needed to confirm this finding.