Radiation oncologists at GenesisCare have been leading the way in Australia by treating Ledderhose disease with radiation therapy, which is more commonly used for cancer treatment.

Ledderhose disease, or plantar fibromatosis, is a painful and often debilitating condition, where the connective tissue on the soles of the feet thickens.

Clinical trial results presented on Monday (May 9) at the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology Annual Scientific Meeting show that radiation therapy is safe and effective for managing Ledderhose disease.

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The evidence showed that 74 per cent of people treated with radiation therapy had a good pain response, which was significantly higher than those who received a placebo.

Between one and four per cent of Australians are living with Ledderhose disease.

Dr Eka Moseshvili, a radiation oncologist at GenesisCare Maitland, said although oncologists knew radiation worked, they had never had such high level evidence until this European trial.

"I'm sure it will result in more centres taking these results into consideration and hopefully offering this treatment to other patients as well," she said.

The radiotherapy treatment is a low dose (compared to what is used to treat cancer) of ten sessions, split up to 10 minutes a day for five days, then the same again a couple of months later.

Ashtonfield resident and aged care nurse Kathleen Tanner has no choice but to be on her feet for her job.

She put up with Ledderhose disease for "a good couple of years" before the pain started getting too extreme to handle.

"It was really painful even just to walk, and because I'm on my feet all the time as it is, it was really painful. It didn't matter what shoes I wore," she said.

Ms Tanner said if she knew how effective radiation therapy would be, then she would not have spent years putting up with the pain.

She tried things like steriod injections, strapping and orthotics but had no luck.

"As time went on, it got more and more sore and I didn't know who to source, I didn't know who to speak to," she said.

"I think if people actually know about it, they would probably go straight to the source than try other avenues."

Ms Tanner said two months after her last treatment, she is almost completely pain free.

Professor Jarad Martin, a radiation oncologist at GenesisCare Maitland and Gateshead is leading the treatment of Ledderhose Disease for Australia.

Prof Martin is working closely with surgeons in Newcastle and across the country to increase their awareness of radiotherapy as a safe and effective option to manage the disease.

"Now we have not just the great experience locally but also high level clinical trial data to back it up, we don't want to keep it a secret," he said.

"People with painful Ledderhose disease which isn't getting better should be aware that radiotherapy is an option which they can consider."

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