title: Reduced morbidity from skeletal metastases in breast cancer patients during long-term bisphosphonate (APD) treatment.
abstract: 131 patients with osteolytic metastases from breast cancer were randomised to receive long-term oral treatment with aminohydroxy-propylidene-bisphosphonate (APD), 300 mg daily (n = 70), or to act as controls (n = 61) in a multicentre trial. Specific antitumour therapy was at the discretion of the clinician and variable. An interim analysis was made after a median follow-up of 13 months in the APD group and 14 months in the controls. There was a significant reduction in pathological fractures and severe bone pain in the APD group, and hypercalcaemia was prevented. Consequently the necessity for radiotherapy for skeletal complications was more than halved; the number of systemic therapy changes was also reduced. Gastrointestinal side-effects of APD led to a drop-out of 8% of patients. Oral supportive APD therapy is simple and convenient, and significantly reduced skeletal morbidity in advanced breast cancer.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D000077268:Pamidronate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated
chemical_list: D004164:Diphosphonates; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated; D000077268:Pamidronate