Maywood, Ill.-based Loyola University Medical Center launched the first clinical trial in the United States of a minimally invasive treatment designed to help relieve pain and heal spinal fractures in metastatic cancer patients.
The treatment is a combination of intraoperative radiotherapy and kyphoplasty. The combination treatment delivers radiation directly to the tumor and increases support of the spine.
The phase 1 study aims to assess the positive and negative effects of the combination treatment. Researchers will compare the pain levels and use of pain medications before and after the procedure. They also will monitor quality-of-life issues, the effect of the procedure on the tumor and any complications.
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