Dexamethasone for Pain Flare After Radiotherapy of Painful Bone metastasesZonMW 11510009
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2016-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Cancer patients with pain due to bone metastases are often treated with external irradiation
in order to reduce pain. However, patients may experience a temporary increase of pain
shortly after irradiation, a so-called pain flare. This study investigates whether a short
course of a drug called dexamethasone may prevent the occurrence of a pain flare. Patients,
who are irradiated for painful bone metastases are randomized into three groups. Group 1
receives placebo during four days, group 2 receives dexamethasone on the day of the
irradiation and placebo during three days, and group 3 receives dexamethasone during four
days. All patients complete a questionnaire on pain, side-effects of treatment and quality of
life during 14 days and after four weeks. This study will define whether dexamethasone
decreases the occurrence of a pain flare after irradiation for painful bone metastases, and,
if so, whether four days of treatment with dexamethasone is better dan one day of treatment.
Phase:
Phase 3
Details
Lead Sponsor:
UMC Utrecht
Collaborator:
ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development