​Radiotherapy (RT) reduces pain in about 60% of patients with painful bone metastases, but there are no available predictors to select patients to receive or not receive RT, leaving many patients without clinical benefit.    

The PRAIS study is the first prospective study designed to investigate predictors of RT response in patients with painful bone metastases. In this international multicenter study we have assessed predictors for RT effectiveness in 513 patie   

We found that performance status is one of the most important variables to predict RT response. Response rates more than doubled in patients with Karnofsky performance status >80 compared to performances status <50. Patients with a cancer diagnosis of breast or prostate cancer and patients with soft tissue expansion outside bone did also have significantly better response rates, while the use of corticosteroids was a negative predictor for RT response in patients with painful bone m​​etastases.  These results may be helpful in selecting patients for palliative RT.    

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