A radioactive bone cement that’s injected into bone to provide support and local irradiation is proving to be a safer alternative to conventional radiation therapy for bone tumors, according to a new study.
This brachytherapy cement placed into spinal bones directly irradiates tumors without harming the spinal cord. Further, the radioactive material will stay localized in the bones, which promises to virtually eliminate side effects.
Cancers that begin in the breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, kidney, and other locations can spread to and erode bones, most commonly in the spine. Further complicating matters, normal radiation treatments for this problem can threaten the spinal cord and weaken the bones that the tumor’s erosion have already compromised, increasing the risk of fracture.