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Effective use of strontium-89 in osseous metastases

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Abstract

Bone is one of the organs to which cancer metastasizes most frequently. However, it is not a vital organ, therefore, survival after the occurrence of osseous metastasis is relatively favorable. Improvements of medical treatment bring prolonged survival to patients with osseous metastases. But this makes us to recognize the importance of quality of life (QOL) due to several factors, including pain. It is important for oncologists to know how to deal with such painful osseous metastases, as pain relief may enable patients to live their remaining lives to the fullest. Strontium-89 (89Sr) has been used worldwide as in Japan, while being reported to have positive effects on pain relief and QOL improvement in patients with osseous metastases. This review paper is aimed to present not only the history, roles, and medical characters of 89Sr, but also new aspects, such as how to use bone turnover markers, which location of osseous metastases is suitable for effective use of 89Sr.

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  1. Department of Urological-Oncology, International Medical Centre, Saitama Medical University, Yamane 1397-1, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1298, Japan

    Isao Kuroda

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Kuroda, I. Effective use of strontium-89 in osseous metastases. Ann Nucl Med 26, 197–206 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-011-0560-5

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