Effect of age on response to palliative radiotherapy and quality of life in patients with painful bone metastases
Publication year
2014Source
Radiotherapy and Oncology, 111, 2, (2014), pp. 264-9ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor
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Organization
Health Evidence
Radiation Oncology
Radboudumc Extern
Journal title
Radiotherapy and Oncology
Volume
vol. 111
Issue
iss. 2
Page start
p. 264
Page end
p. 9
Subject
Radboudumc 14: Tumours of the digestive tract RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health SciencesAbstract
BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity and declining performance in elderly cancer patients may result in less treatment benefit. We investigated whether age is a predictor for pain response and quality of life (QoL) after radiotherapy in patients with painful bone metastases. METHODS: The database of the Dutch Bone Metastasis Study was used (1996-1999). 1157 patients, irradiated for painful bone metastases, rated their pain, QoL-domains and overall health at baseline and during follow-up. Response was calculated taking into account changes in pain score and medication. Patients were grouped into three age cohorts: A: <65 (n=520), B: 65-74 (n=410) and C: 75years (n=227). RESULTS: No significant difference existed in pain response between cohorts: 78% in cohort A, 74% in B and 67% in C. When assessing baseline QoL, a significant difference in activity level was noticed, with more impairment in elderly compared to younger patients (C versus B (p=0.01), C versus A (p<0.001)). Other QoL-domains were similar at baseline and during follow-up among cohorts. A pain response was significantly associated with improvement of health-related QoL (OR 3.74, 95% CI 2.66-5.25). CONCLUSION: The majority of elderly patients with painful bone metastases responded to radiotherapy and showed comparable overall QoL compared to their younger counterparts. Age is not a predictor for pain response or QoL.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [238441]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [90373]
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