134 patients with metastatic bone disease and a vertebral compression fracture (VCF) were randomized to be treated with either balloon kyphoplasty or a standard non-surgical treatment (control group) to compare the effects of these treatments on pain, function and quality of life. Results indicated that the kyphoplasty group had significantly better improvements in function, quality of life, reduced activity days, bed rest days, and analgesic consumption compared to the control group at 1 month. The kyphoplasty group improved similarly up until 12 months post-treatment. Furthermore, safety was comparable between the two study groups, making balloon kyphoplasty an effective treatment in these patients.