To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ASCO: Oral Bisphosphonate Prolongs Survival in Patients With Breast Cancer URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/244526.htm Doctor's Guide June 7, 2004
By Charlene Laino NEW ORLEANS, LA -- June 7, 2004 -- Adjuvant therapy with clodronate, an oral bisphosphonate, prolongs survival in breast cancer patients, a new study shows. Ingo J. Diel, MD, professor of gynecology and obstetrics at CGG-Kilnl GmbH in Mannheim, Germany, presented the findings during a poster session here on June 6th at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 40th Annual Meeting. "Bisphosphonates accumulate on the bone surface, where they inhibit osteoblast activity, which is responsible for the bone metastases in these patients," he said. "So if we stop this osteoblast activity, we can have an effect on bone metastases -- maybe even prevent it." The researchers previously reported that compared with standard systemic therapy alone, postoperative treatment with oral clodronate led to a reduced incidence of osseous and visceral metastases, which was associated with significantly better disease-free and overall survival at 5 years (P <.001). The new analysis was designed to determine if the oral clodronate regimen continued to prolong survival over the long run, Dr. Diel said. The original study enrolled 302 patients, 157 of whom were treated with 1600 mg of oral clodronate daily for 2 years. All patients received standard surgical treatment and standard endocrine therapy or chemotherapy, with or without radiation. For the new analysis, at a median follow up of 103 months, the researchers were able to reevaluate 290 of the patients. The median age was 51 years, and there were no significant differences between the 2 arms in terms of disease characteristics or prognostic factors. The study results showed that the incidence of osseous and visceral metastases was similar in both groups. However, 40.7% of patients in the control group had died, compared with only 20.4% of patients in the clodronate-treated group (P <.01), Dr. Diel reported. "If we treat disseminated tumor cells with oral clodronate for 2 years, then we can reduce mortality in the long run," Dr. Diel said. "Since oral bisphosphonates have a low toxicity, this longer treatment would not be problematic and would additionally protect cancer patients against tumor-treatment-induced osteoporosis," he concluded. [Presentation title: "Adjuvant Clodronate Treatment Improves the Overall Survival of Primary Breast Cancer Patients With Micrometastases to Bone Marrow -- a Longtime Follow-up." Abstract #529] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.