title: Zoledronic acid in the management of metastatic bone disease.
abstract: Bisphosphonate therapy has become a standard of therapy for patients with malignant bone disease. Moreover, in vivo preclinical and preliminary clinical data suggest that bisphosphonates may prevent cancer treatment-induced bone loss and the onset of malignant bone disease in patients with early-stage cancer. This comprehensive review critically reports the several preclinical evidences of action of bisphosphonates on osteoclasts, lymphocytes and tumour cells. In addition, all the clinical trials evaluating the effects of principal bisphosphonates on skeletal disease progression in patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and other cancers have been reported. Of the available bisphosphonates, intravenous zoledronic acid has demonstrated the broadest clinical activity and is actually approved for the treatment of bone metastases from any solid tumour in many countries. Renal safety is an important consideration for oncologists who are treating patients with bisphosphonates. This issue and the other topics relating to the safety of bisphosphonates are discussed in this review.
authors.affiliation: University Campus Bio-Medico, Medical Oncology, Via Emilio Longoni 69, 00155 Rome, Italy. d.santini@unicampus.it
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Maria Elisabetta
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Fratto
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galluzzo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007093:Imidazoles; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid