Low-dose radiotherapy appears to be a safe and effective option for easing arthritis pain, according to three separate research teams presenting at the ASTRO Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
In a randomized Korean trial involving 114 volunteers with knee osteoarthritis, patients who received a 3 Gy low-dose radiation course across six sessions reported significant reductions in pain and better physical function. After four months, 70% experienced meaningful improvement in at least two of three key areas—pain, mobility, and overall condition—compared with 42% in the sham group. By contrast, a very-low dose (0.3 Gy) showed no benefit.
Complementing these results, U.S. researchers found that among 103 patients with arthritis of the hands, knees, or other joints, 84% experienced pain relief—regardless of joint type, gender, or body weight.
European researchers also provided long-term reassurance: in a German study tracking 4,600 older patients treated between 1994–2010, only three solid tumors possibly linked to therapy were detected over 15 years. While overall cancer risk was “negligible,” researchers advised caution when targeting areas near bone marrow, where 1.4% of patients developed blood cancers.
Dr. Byoung Hyuck Kim of Seoul National University College of Medicine, who led the Korean study, noted that arthritis radiation doses are far lower than those used in cancer care, and the targeted joints are generally distant from vital organs—minimizing side effects.
Radiotherapy for Dangerous Heart Rhythm
Radiotherapy may also offer a safer alternative to invasive ablation procedures for patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT), a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder.
In a comparative study of 43 patients with recurrent VT, 22 received stereotactic radiation while 21 underwent repeat catheter ablation. Within one month, four deaths occurred in the ablation group, all linked to treatment complications. No radiation-related deaths were reported during three years of follow-up.
At one year, hospitalization for treatment-related adverse events was 38% in the ablation group versus 9% in the radiation group. Both approaches were similarly effective in controlling VT episodes, but complications emerged sooner after ablation (median six days) versus radiation (median 10 months). Survival at one year favored radiation (73% vs. 58%), though both groups had similar survival (45%) at three years.
Researchers suggest the improved early survival with radiation may stem from avoiding anesthesia and ablation-related risks. They cautioned, however, that the trial was small and emphasized the need for results from larger ongoing studies.