title: Bisphosphonates for bone metastatic disease from breast cancer: clinical practice in the Czech Republic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of bisphosphonates (BPs) represents a standard therapy of bone metastatic disease from breast cancer and has been incorporated in many systemic international guidelines. We have tried to evaluate the use of BPs in current clinical practice across the Czech Republic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A covering letter, questionnaires and pre-paid envelopes were mailed to the head oncologists of 64 workplaces of Czech Oncology Society. Total 310 questionnaires were sent out. The questionnaire consisted of 23 questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaires were completed and returned by 91 oncologists from 32 workplaces. Most of the responding oncologists worked at university hospitals (42%), the most frequent length of work experience was 5 to 10 years (30%) and the most frequent rate of breast cancer patients was from 10 to 25% (45%). Ninety-five percent of the oncologists regularly initiated BP therapy, and oral clodronate was the first choice BP (77%). Once initiated, the treatment was discontinued in less than 5% patients (24%). Seventy-one (79%) oncologists stated that the most important reason leading to therapy termination was impairment of performance status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The consensual agreement pointed out that it could be a fundamental step towards establishing the national treatment guidelines for the BP use in metastatic breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. veronika.vokata@faf.cuni.cz
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vokata
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Odrazka
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubena
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vlcek
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004164:Diphosphonates