Bone Health
A large study has found that bisphosphonates reduce the risk of distant breast cancer recurrence in postmenopausal women.
A study has found that Prolia improved disease-free survival for postmenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer taking an aromatase inhibitor.
Research has found that Xgeva (chemical name: denosumab), a new targeted therapy medicine, is somewhat better than Zometa at lowering the risk of bone complications in women diagnosed with breast cancer that has spread to the bones.
The osteoporosis drug denosumab (Prolia) is now FDA-approved to treat bone loss in women taking aromatase inhibitors.
Results from three studies all suggest that Zometa can help reduce the risk of cancer recurrence when it's started right after surgery to treat hormone-receptor-positive early-stage breast cancer in postmenopausal and older premenopausal women.
Two studies found that two oral bisphosphonates didn't reduce recurrence risk for women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
Research suggests that Zometa, a medicine used to strengthen bones, may slow breast cancer growth.
Research suggests that Xgeva is better than Zometa at reducing the risk of bone complication and improves quality of life more in women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that has spread to the bones.
A new selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) called Oporia (chemical name: lasofoxifene) has been shown to improve bone health and reduce the risk of breast cancer, especially hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, in post-menopausal women.
Research shows that Zometa (chemical name: zoledronic acid) doesn't destroy or slow the growth of breast cancer cells when given before surgery to post-menopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
All bisphosphonates seem to offer the same recurrence risk reduction benefits.
A study found that Prolia reduced the risk of breaking a bone by 50% in postmenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer who were taking an aromatase inhibitor.
The combination of Zometa and Femara after surgery offered better disease-free survival than tamoxifen for premenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, but caused more side effects.
Receiving 3 to 5 years of bisphosphonate treatment after surgery and chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer doesn’t improve survival any more than receiving 2 years of bisphosphonate treatment.
A study suggests that after a year, women with bone metastases can get Zometa every 12 weeks instead of every 4 weeks and still get the same benefits from the medicine, while reducing their risk of side effects.
Research suggests that people diagnosed with advanced-stage breast or prostate cancer who get Xgeva are about twice as likely to develop osteonecrosis of the jaw compared to people with other advanced-stage cancers treated with Xgeva.
After a year of standard treatment, women with bone metastases can get Zometa every 12 weeks instead of 4 and get the same benefits from the medicine.
Two randomized studies found that 3 to 4 years of treatment with either Fosamax or zoledronic acid doesn't seem to reduce breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.
On Sept. 1, 2011 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors and patients that Reclast may cause severe kidney problems.