title: New therapeutic agents for the treatment of bone diseases.
abstract: Bisphosphonates have demonstrated important clinical benefits for patients with malignant bone disease, metabolic bone diseases, such as Paget's disease, and postmenopausal osteoporosis. The introduction of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates with high affinity for hydroxyapatite in bone represents an important advancement. These agents are now a standard of care for osteoporosis, Paget's disease, osteogenesis imperfecta, primary bone lesions from multiple myeloma and bone metastases from breast cancer. Moreover, the recent clinical development of zoledronic acid (4 mg by 15-minute intravenous infusion) has expanded the benefits of bisphosphonate therapy to patients with bone metastases from any solid tumour. Bisphosphonates are also being investigated at present for the prevention of bone loss resulting from cancer therapy. In addition, a variety of novel biologic agents, receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB (RANK) ligand antibodies, osteoprotegerin and cathepsin K inhibitors are being investigated at present for the treatment of malignant bone disease. The management of bone health is an important area of active research, and the armamentarium and role of bone-specific therapies continue to expand.
authors.affiliation: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania, PA 17033, USA. alipton@psu.edu
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lipton
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000188:drug therapy; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077268:Pamidronate; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007093:Imidazoles; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid; D000077268:Pamidronate; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid