Factors Affecting the Quality of Life of Patients with Painful Spinal Bone Metastases

• Published in: Healthcare (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 11; p. 1499
• Main Authors: Akezaki, Yoshiteru, Nakata, Eiji, Kikuuchi, Masato, Sugihara, Shinsuke, Katayama, Yoshimi, Katayama, Haruki, Hamada, Masanori, Ozaki, Toshifumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 03.11.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Analgesics; Cancer; Metastasis; Pain; Paralysis; Patients; Quality of life; Radiation therapy; radiotherapy; Regression analysis; Sexes; spinal bone metastases
• ISSN: 2227-9032; 2227-9032
• DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9111499

This study examined changes in the quality of life (QOL), as well as the factors affecting QOL, among patients with painful spinal bone metastases without paralysis for 1 month after radiotherapy. Methods: This study included 79 participants (40 male and 39 female; median age, 65 (42–88) years) who had undergone radiotherapy for painful spinal bone metastases without paralysis. Patients’ age, sex, activities of daily living (Barthel index), pain, spinal instability (spinal instability neoplastic score [SINS]), and QOL (EORTC QLQ-C30) were investigated. Results: Having an unstable SINS score was a positive factor for global health status (p < 0.05). The improvement in activities of daily living and response to pain were positive factors for physical function (p < 0.05). A positive effect on emotional function was confirmed among female patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Engaging in rehabilitation along with radiotherapy leads to improvements in QOL for patients with spinal bone metastases.