With the low-dose radiation, the pain of patients can often be relieved for a long time.
Radiation therapy has been a successful and proven treatment method for years. It is not only used with great success in tumor diseases, but also in inflammatory soft tissue diseases or signs of wear and tear.
Jacqueline S. suffered from severe pain for weeks. The visit to the doctor finally brought certainty: tennis elbow – a painful irritation of the elbow. The 55-year-old tried to alleviate the symptoms with painkillers, physiotherapy and shock wave therapy, among other things. But nothing helped. “It went so far that I mightn’t even do my job anymore,” recalls Jacqueline S. When her condition hadn’t improved even following more than six months and numerous attempts at conservative therapy, her doctor recommended radiation therapy.
Relief following just a few sessions
Radiation therapy is often equated with the treatment of malignant tumors. But this therapy method can do much more. For example, it relieves pain caused by inflammation of the tendons and bursae in the shoulder, elbow or heel, as well as arthrosis in the fingers, shoulder or knee. It is therefore an ideal therapy option when conservative methods have been exhausted and an alternative option for patients who do not want an operation.
The entire treatment consists of two series of six sessions at an interval of at least two months. “After the first series of radiation, some of the patients already have a significant reduction in pain,” explains Dr. medical Silvia Gomez, senior physician mbF radio-oncology and head of radiotherapy for benign diseases of the radio-oncology center KSA-KSB in the cantonal hospital Aarau. For patients who continue to have symptoms, a second series of radiation therapy can be performed following two months.
The radiation itself is completely painless. However, there may be temporary increased pain in the radiation zone following the session. Patient Jacqueline S. was also affected: “In the short term, the arm actually hurt even more than before the treatment. However, just two days following the last radiation treatment, the pain had completely disappeared.”
Low-risk, long-lasting treatment method
“With the low-dose radiation of the affected region, we can often achieve long-lasting pain relief. This significantly improves the quality of life of those affected,” explains Dr. medical Silvia Gomez. In fact, in spring 2020, the researchers at the KSA-KSB Radiation Oncology Center were able to objectively prove for the first time that radiation therapy for osteoarthritis or tendinopathy, a tendon disease, not only relieves pain and improves mobility, but also restores strength in the joints. “More than 60 percent of the irradiated patients feel a reduction in pain following the therapy,” confirms Dr. medical Silvia Gomez.
Due to the spread of anti-inflammatory drugs and fears of an increased risk of cancer, radiation therapy for benign diseases has long receded into the background. However, that has changed in recent years. “Thanks to innovative devices, the knowledge of the working group Benign Diseases of the German Society for Radiation Oncology and the International Organization for Radiotherapy for Benign Conditions as well as the possibility of irradiating the affected area in a targeted, small-scale, low dose and high quality standard, this therapy method is today so low-risk that we regularly recommend it,” confirms radiation therapist Dr. medical Silvia Gomez.
In order to further increase safety, radiation therapy is recommended for benign diseases, especially for patients over 40 years of age. Another quality feature: the radio-oncology center KSA-KSB has decades of experience in this field of application. Thanks to the purchase of new radiation devices, the entire range of therapies can now also be offered in the Cantonal Hospital Aarau.
Half a year has now passed since Jacqueline S. was irradiated. “After taking it easy at first, I can now do everything I used to be able to do,” confirms Jacqueline S. “I’m finally pain-free once more. It’s a huge relief.”
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Ms. Gomez, sports injuries to joints from overuse or heavy training are not uncommon. Is radiation therapy particularly promising here?
Dr med. silvia gomez: The low-dose radiation with its anti-inflammatory effect can be used for injuries in very selected patients when various other therapies have failed.
Can this therapy be repeated several times over a longer period of time – if the symptoms return?
Yes, the low-dose radiation can be applied several times. The total dose of a treatment for painful osteoarthritis and diseases of the tendon attachments consists of two series with 6 × 0.5 Gy each. A third and fourth series can be discussed if the pain returns a few years following the first treatment.
Why is the therapy recommended primarily for patients over 40 years of age?
As with any use of X-rays, there is a very low, theoretical risk of around 0.1 percent (1:1000) for the development of a malignant tumor in the irradiated area or in the blood following 20 to 30 years. However, such cases have never been observed or reported with the very low radiation doses used to date. DEGRO (German Society for Radiation Oncology) recommended restricting low-dose radiation to patients over 40 years of age. There are patients under the age of 40 with severe pain and distress who, following evaluating the benefits and potential risks, can be treated with low-dose radiotherapy. (zt)
