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Pain: A Major Front In The Battle Against Cancer

The recent announcement by Elizabethstrengthen bone, are not very effective
Edwards, the wife of Democraticat controlling pain. External beam
presidential candidate John Edwards,radiation, while effective, can only
that her breast cancer has recurred andtarget a few painful lesions at a time.
spread to her bones, is not somethingAnother class of drugs used to treat
that any cancer survivor or caregivercancer-related bone pain is
ever wants to hear. Fortunately, Ms.radiopharmaceuticals.
Edwards and thousands of women fightingRadiopharmaceuticals are drugs that
recurrent breast cancer now have acombine a radionuclide (radiation) with
greater range of options to battle thea pharmaceutical. Studies have shown
disease and its many negative effects,that most patients with a positive bone
especially pain.scan who are suffering from pain can
Pain affects most people with cancer asexperience relief lasting for months
the disease progresses. One of the mostfollowing a single injection with a
common causes of pain in advanced cancerradiopharmaceutical.
is bone metastases (cancer that hasIn the past, radiopharmaceuticals for
spread to the bone). Bone metastasesbone pain have been underutilized due to
occur in an estimated 65-75 percent ofconcerns over myelosuppression (a drop
patients with breast or prostate cancerin a patient's white blood cell, red
and in 70-95 percent of patients withblood cell and/or platelet counts), and
multiple myeloma (cancer that begins inthe belief that repeat doses of these
the blood). As cancer progresses, bonetreatments cannot be given.
pain caused by metastases oftenAccording to new research, however, one
increases in intensity.of these agents, called Quadramet(r)
Fortunately, there are a number of(samarium SM 153 lexidronam injection),
treatment options available for bonemay be more useful than previously
pain. Potential treatments includethought.
opioid analgesics, which are"Quadramet can provide very long-lasting
prescription narcotic pain medicines; apain relief for people with cancer
class of drugs called bisphosphonates,suffering from bone pain," said Dr.
used to help strengthen bone and slowOliver Sartor, M.D. from Dana-Farber
the progression of bone metastases; andCancer Institute, Harvard Medical
external beam radiation, whereSchool, Boston, Massachusetts. "We've
physicians target a beam of radiationalso found that multiple doses of
directly at painful bone lesions.Quadramet can be given over time, and
All these options can be effective butpain relief with each treatment seems to
have downsides, too. For example,be similar to what patients experience
increasing doses of opioid analgesics isafter their first dose," he added.
usually necessary to control increasingWith cancer patients now living longer
pain. As doses increase, so do sidethan ever before, this is good news for
effects like excessive sleepiness,those suffering from bone pain, and
nausea and breathing difficulties.their doctors.
Bisphosphonates, while helping to



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