Drugs from the class “aromatase inhibitors” are frequently used in the treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer cells grow in the presence of estrogen hormone. Aromatase inhibitors interfere with the production of estrogen in post menopausal women and thus prevent the cancer cells from growing. However, when used for a long duration, these aromatase inhibitors are associated with bone loss and fractures. Now researchers have found that a medicine used in the treatment of osteoporosis, called as zoledronic acid, when used concurrently with aromatase inhibitors can prevent the bone loss. The results of the study, which have been published online the scientific journal “Cancer” show that initiating treatment with zoledronic acid even after the bone loss has started, produces beneficial results.
The results were drawn at the end of a five year old study called Z- FAST, which was led by Adam Brufsky from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute along with his colleagues. The researchers selected 602 postmenopausal women who were suffering from early breast cancer. The women were on treatment with letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor. The women were divided into two groups- the first group received zoledronic acid simultaneously with letrozole while the second group received it only after some degree of bone loss or fractures.
It was observed that there was a progressive increase in the bone density throughout the study period of five years in those women who were put on zoledronic acid along with letrozole. In women who received only the cancer treatment, there was a significant amount of bone loss. But once the patient started receiving zoledronic acid, the bone loss stopped and the bone density gradually increased over the period of five years. This shows that zoledronic acid is beneficial for cancer patients, both before as well as after the initiation of bone loss. It also shows that the bone loss is a reversible process which can revert after starting treatment for it.
References:
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