Bone Drug Fails to Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence

Bone drug Zometa, which reduce both promising weapon in the risk of recurrence of breast cancer should not be routinely used in the treatment of the disease, researchers say.

In a recent study of patients with breast cancer, Zometa (zoledronic acid) did not increase disease-free survival as a whole, and seems to increase the risk of serious side effects, said co-author Dr. Robert Coleman, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Sheffield in England.

But he added, "for which a third of women in the study, has completely disappeared through menopause at the time of study entry, there are considerable benefits in terms of recurrence and overall survival," Coleman .

The results of the study, published online Sept. 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine, were to be presented Sunday at the European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress 2011 in Stockholm. Coleman presented the results of the study at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in late 2010.

Women who are prone to hormonal therapy for the treatment of breast cancer to a weakening and thinning of the bones, a condition known as osteoporosis, often receive bone building drugs called bisphosphonates. Some previous studies have suggested that bone drugs can also help prevent recurrence of breast cancer.

Zometa, which is fed intravenously, is also used to relieve pain if the cancer has spread to bone.

Randomly in the study, Coleman and his colleagues nearly 3400 patients with early breast cancer to standard therapy or standard treatment with Zometa assigned.

The research team examined the overall survival and disease recurrence for an average of nearly five years of monitoring. They found no significant difference between groups. According to the study, 377 patients in the bone with the drug died or had a recurrence within five years of study, compared with 375 in the standard treatment group.

Overall, the survival rate of 85.4 percent in the bone drug group and 83.1 percent in the standard treatment group. In each group, 77 percent of disease-free survival.

But some users have reported that Zometa may 17 cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw, a serious disease, jaw bone cause death. Nine other women think that the condition. No one in the control group developed.

Although the results suggest the routine use of Zometa in women with breast cancer is not recommended, the researchers said Zometa may still be of use for patients with breast cancer more than five years after the menopause.

In this group, 519 women in the bone drugs, and 522 to standard therapy alone. Five year follow-up were 78.2 percent of drug-free living bone and invasive recurrence, compared with 71 percent of the standard therapy group.

"The study tells us is likely that the interaction of reproductive hormones and the bone is very important in the orientation of recurrence of breast cancer," said Coleman.

The study was supported by Novartis AG, which makes the drug, and the National Cancer Research Network funded. Coleman reported lecture fees from Novartis.

Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said the overall results. "We had hoped that zoledronic acid to harden the bones and reduce the rate of metastasis," he said. "We had hoped it would improve survival. Neither has occurred. "

The increased risk of osteonecrosis is a concern, Brawley said. However, doctors still need to pay attention to the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in all patients with cancer, he said.