As people age, most experience knee pain and cracking, followed by reduced joint mobility. In severe cases, this can lead to the need for joint replacement surgery. However, artificial joints do not function as well as natural ones, and surgery is not always advisable for elderly patients. Recently, Korean scientists have proposed a new approach to addressing this issue.

Causes and Prevention of Osteoarthritis

From a theoretical standpoint, the development of osteoarthritis can be prevented. The disease does not arise on its own but is often a consequence of a sedentary lifestyle, which is common in modern society. For example, elderly members of hunter-gatherer communities rarely suffer from osteoarthritis. Even among modern people, the risk of developing the disease can be reduced: runners are diagnosed with osteoarthritis three times less often than others.

However, in practice, most people do not engage in regular running, so the number of osteoarthritis patients continues to grow, and this trend is expected to persist. For mild symptoms, painkillers are usually prescribed, but they do not always fully resolve the problem or restore previous joint mobility.

New Study: Radiation Therapy for Pain Relief

A team of Korean researchers conducted a study involving 114 volunteers suffering from primary knee osteoarthritis. The diagnosis was confirmed by X-ray and the presence of significant pain while walking. Participants were divided into three groups:

• The first group received ultra-low doses of radiation (six sessions of 0.05 Gray each).
• The second group received low doses (six sessions of 0.5 Gray each).
• The third group received no radiation (placebo).

For comparison: the dose in the second group is equivalent to 30,000 chest X-rays or 420 CT scans. The results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

During the first four months after the procedures (or their imitation for the placebo group), participants were not allowed to take opioid painkillers or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Afterwards, the researchers compared the participants' feedback on their condition.

Results and Safety of the Method

In the group that received the highest radiation dose, 70% of participants reported improvement, compared to only 42% in the placebo group. Clinically significant pain reduction and improved knee function were observed in 57% of patients in the first group, versus just 31% in the placebo group.

Among those who received the minimal dose (0.3 Gray), 58% noted improvement, but doctors did not find clinically significant differences compared to the placebo group. No changes in blood composition or inflammatory markers were detected in any group, and no side effects were recorded. This distinguishes the approach from radiation therapy for cancer, where much higher doses are used and side effects are common.

Prospects and Limitations

The researchers continue to monitor the participants, with a 12-month follow-up currently underway, after which the results will be published. The authors note that this method cannot restore cartilage tissue if it has already been lost. However, for mild to moderate osteoarthritis, this approach may significantly slow disease progression.

Radiation Therapy in Medicine: Not Just for Oncology

The beneficial effects of moderate doses of radiation on human tissues have been known for a long time. There have been reports of successful use of low-dose radiation for maintenance therapy in Alzheimer's disease in humans, and in mice, higher doses have completely halted disease progression and restored cognitive function to normal levels.