New developments of aminobisphosphonates: the double face of Janus.
BACKGROUND
Bisphosphonate (BP) therapy has become a standard of therapy for patients with malignant bone disease. In vivo preclinical and preliminary clinical data indicate that BPs may prevent cancer treatment-induced bone loss and the onset of malignant bone disease in patients with early-stage cancer.


METHODS
This review will describe the preclinical evidences of action of BPs on osteoclasts and tumor cells. In addition, the effects of principal BPs on skeletal disease progression in patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer and other cancers will be reported. The preliminary clinical data from retrospective trials on the effect of zoledronic acid (ZA) on survival will be described and the ongoing adjuvant phase III trial will be analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
This review will describe the preliminary clinical evidences from prospective studies on the effect of ZA treatment on the prevention of bone metastasis.
Santini
D
D
Department of Medical Oncology, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy. d.santini@unicampus.it
Galluzzo
S
S
Vincenzi
B
B
Schiavon
G
G
Fratto
E
E
Pantano
F
F
Tonini
G
G
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000517:prevention & control; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007093:Imidazoles; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid