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What is metastatic bone disease? Metastatic bone disease is a painful condition
that can develop in conjunction with cancers of the breast, prostate,
lung, or other organs. It occurs when cancer cells at an original
site metastasize (travel) to the bone. These metastases can become
widespread
throughout the skeletal system.
While not all cancers metastasize, and many people
live symptom-free, a patient’s quality of life can be severely affected
should metastatic bone disease develop. Normal daily activities can
become difficult when the metastases become painful. Many patients
report that their sleep patterns change, appetite diminishes, and the
need to take pain relief medications increases.
While there is no cure for metastatic bone disease,
traditional forms of therapy used to relieve the pain are analgesics,
narcotics, external radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy.
All have different benefits and limitations based on their effectiveness,
duration, and severity of side effects. Only you and your physician
can choose which treatment option is best for you. Important advances
have been made in the use of radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment
of painful bone metastases.
Metastron® (Strontium-89 Chloride Injection)
is one such radiopharmaceutical that can provide relief from the pain
of widespread bone metastases without many of the undesirable side
effects of other forms of therapy.
How does Metastron work? Metastron is administered as a simple injection
(generally on an outpatient basis) by a nuclear medicine physician,
radiation oncologist, or other physician licensed to administer
radiopharmaceuticals for therapy. The procedure takes just
a few minutes.
In the body, Metastron acts like calcium, localizing
selectively in bone, especially in bone cells that are rapidly dividing.
Areas with metastases can accumulate much greater concentrations of
Metastron than the surrounding bone and tissue.
Metastron provides pain relief that generally lasts
from three to six months or more from a single injection. If medically
appropriate, patients can continue to receive repeat injections at
90-day intervals or longer, as needed, for pain relief.
Are there any safety
concerns about the radioactive properties of Metastron? Within the first couple of days after injection,
Metastron localizes selectively in the bones. Any Metastron that
is not absorbed into the bones will be excreted from the body.
Because of these characteristics of Metastron, patients can safely
interact
with family members and engage in normal daily activities. It
will
be necessary to take certain precautions during the first week
after injection.
How effective is Metastron? Patient responses can vary. It’s not possible
to predict the degree of pain relief an individual will experience.
For some patients bone pain is completely alleviated. For a number
of others, Metastron provides partial relief. Still others experience
no relief. Repeat injections also appear to be effective.
Is Metastron therapy
right for me? A patient’s response to Metastron is largely
determined by his or her medical history, particularly the nature
of the bone metastases, the functioning of the bone marrow, and
previous therapies received. You and your physician should consider
all
these
factors when determining if Metastron is appropriate for you.
Can Metastron be used to
relieve other forms of cancer pain? No. Metastron is only indicated for the relief
of bone pain in patients with painful skeletal metastases. The
presence of bone metastases should be confirmed prior to
therapy.
After my treatment
with Metastron, how long will it take before I begin to feel better? Relief generally begins within 7 to 20 days.
During this time, your doctor may continue to prescribe other
pain relief therapy.
In some instances, pain may temporarily increase
a few days after injection (called a "pain flare"). If this
occurs, consult your doctor, who may increase the dosage of your pain
relief medication accordingly.
What about other side effects? With Metastron, you should not experience any
of the side effects traditionally associated with other pain
relief therapies.
Platelet levels may be reduced (typically about
30%). White blood cell levels may be reduced (typically about 20%).
Depending on the levels of these cells in your blood before Metastron
treatment, such reductions may or may not have a significant effect
on your health. Your doctor will monitor your blood levels periodically.
Does Metastron have
any other beneficial effects besides pain relief? Many patients are able to do many of the routine
daily activities that were previously too painful. They find
that their appetites improve, and they are able to sleep more
comfortably.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that Metastron
may delay the onset of new sites of bone pain. Metastron localizes
in all sites of bone metastases, whether painful or not. Though Metastron
is not a cure for metastatic bone disease, many patients find that
treatment for pain does not have to be as frequent or inconvenient
as it is with other forms of therapy.
Is Metastron therapy
covered by my insurance? In general, the cost of Metastron therapy is
reimbursable. Patients usually find that the cost of Metastron
therapy is covered by their plans, including Medicare. However,
all reimbursement
plans are different, and you should check with your plan administrator
or claims representative.
Please note that this information is provided for
educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for informed
medical advice. The user of this site should not use this information
to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with
a qualified health care provider.
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