TY - JOUR
T1 - Randomized controlled study of pain education in patients receiving radiotherapy for painful bone metastases
AU - Geerling, Jenske I
AU - van der Linden, Yvette M
AU - Raijmakers, Natasja J H
AU - Vermeulen, Karin M
AU - de Nijs, Ellen J M
AU - Westhoff, Paulien G
AU - de Bock, Geertruida H
AU - de Graeff, Alexander
AU - Reyners, Anna K L
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by research grants from the Dutch Cancer Society (RUG 2009-4596) and the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw, project 11510007).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - Background: 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). Patients and methods: 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 <5 on a 0–10 NRS after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were time to reach control of pain (NRS < 5), mean worst pain and average pain, and QoL at weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12. Results: Of 308 included patients, 182 (92 PEP-group) completed 12 weeks follow-up. At 12 weeks, more patients in the PEP-group (71%) compared to the control-group (52%) reported pain control (P =.008). In the PEP-group, pain control was reached earlier than in the control-group (median 29 days versus 56 days; P =.003). Mean worst and average pain decreased in both groups but decreased more in the PEP-group. QoL did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: The addition of PEP to care as usual for patients treated with radiotherapy for painful bone metastases resulted in less pain and faster pain control.
AB - Background: 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). Patients and methods: 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 <5 on a 0–10 NRS after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were time to reach control of pain (NRS < 5), mean worst pain and average pain, and QoL at weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12. Results: Of 308 included patients, 182 (92 PEP-group) completed 12 weeks follow-up. At 12 weeks, more patients in the PEP-group (71%) compared to the control-group (52%) reported pain control (P =.008). In the PEP-group, pain control was reached earlier than in the control-group (median 29 days versus 56 days; P =.003). Mean worst and average pain decreased in both groups but decreased more in the PEP-group. QoL did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: The addition of PEP to care as usual for patients treated with radiotherapy for painful bone metastases resulted in less pain and faster pain control.
KW - Bone metastases
KW - Pain education program
KW - Radiotherapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160230473&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109687
DO - 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109687
M3 - Article
C2 - 37169300
SN - 0167-8140
VL - 185
JO - Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
JF - Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
M1 - 109687
ER -