title: The present and future role of bisphosphonates in the management of patients with breast cancer.
abstract: At least 25% of patients with breast cancer develop skeletal metastases, with bone the site of disease producing the greatest morbidity. It is apparent that the bisphosphonates present an important component of the treatment strategy. They are now the treatment of choice in tumour-induced hypercalcaemia, and they can reduce bone pain and skeletal complications such as pathological fractures. In addition, bisphosphonates are being increasingly evaluated in the prevention of bone metastases and to prevent and treat cancer therapy-induced osteoporosis. Ongoing research is aimed at trying to define the optimum route, dose, schedule and type of bisphosphonate.
authors.affiliation: Yorkshire Cancer Research Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology, Cancer Research Centre, Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Coleman
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000639:trends; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates