A case of lung cancer pain relief and safe return home by strontium chloride

: Strontium chloride 89 (89Sr) is used as a systemic radiopharmaceutical therapy for the palliation of pain in patients with metastatic bone cancer. A 64-year-old man had previously undergone an operation to resect his right upper lobe of lung and sixth rib. He was diagnosed with lung cancer (large cell carcinoma, pT3N0M0, stage IIB). Three months later, he was treated with chemoradiotherapy for local recurrence. Ten months later, he could not sit up due to severe pain of the left ilium, although he had been treated with opiate analgesics. Fourteen months later, his hospital stay was prolonged and he was treated with 89Sr. One week after injection, the pain was almost completed relieved. Two weeks after injection, morphine infusion was stopped and a reduced dose of a fentanyl patch was used. He was also able to eat meals. Three weeks after injection, he started rehabilitation. Two months after the injection of 89Sr, he could return home from the hospital. Adverse events included grade 2 leukopenia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. These peaked 2 months after injection.