Novel Techniques of Radiotherapy in the Management of Oncologic Pain

Abstract

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Oncologic pain (OP), in general, increases with disease progression. Moderate or severe intensity OP occurs in around 30% of cancer patients receiving treatment and in 60% to 90% of patients with advanced cancer. Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective non-pharmacological method of treatment of OP. Two new techniques of RT are available for pain control: ablative RT for oligometastatic disease and lattice RT, for voluminous tumors. We will review their efficacy and results, concluding that OP is a complex biologic phenomenon and its successful treatment requires careful assessment of its nature, understanding the different types and patterns. Specific pain management with new radiation techniques can be effective and provide good pain control, allowing the reduction of analgesics use, improving the quality of life.