Systemic radionuclide therapy of bone metastases with strontium-89.

Bone metastases can have a devastating effect on a patient's quality of life due to pain and pathologic fractures. Local external beam radiotherapy is very effective for patients with only a few involved areas. Systemic therapy consisting of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy is extremely useful until the patient becomes refractory to treatment. Systemic radionuclide therapy using Strontium-89 has been shown to be very valuable, specifically in patients with bone metastases from hormonally-resistant prostate cancer. Studies have shown a significant improvement in analgesic requirement, time to further radiotherapy, and a reduction in tumor markers with this treatment. The use of Strontium-89 in the treatment of other bone neoplasms and the use of other radionuclides, such as Rhenium-186 HEDP and Samarium-153 EDT-MP, are still investigational.