title: [Antitumor properties of the bisphosphonate zoledronate and potential therapeutic implications in the clinic].
abstract: Zoledronate, just as other bisphosphonates, inhibit osteoclast mediated bone resorption. This is the reason why they are used in the treatment of bone metastasis, in order to block osteolysis. Zoledronate and some other bisphosphonates (clodronate, pamidronate, ibandronate, alendronate, risédronate, minodronate) also exhibit antitumor properties in vitro. They act directly on tumor cells by blocking tumor cell adhesion, invasion and proliferation, and by inducing tumor cell apoptosis. However, their high bone mineral affinity decreases their bioavailability to a significant extent and, thus, should weaken their in vivo antitumor potential. Despite of this, several studies (most of them being performed with zoledronate) show that bisphosphonates have an in vivo antitumor activity. This review focuses on zoledronate and on results obtained in several experimental models showing that this bisphosphonate interferes with the growth of tumors and metastases which are thriving in tissues others than the skeletal tissue. The significance of these findings is discussed in the light of several ongoing clinical trials which examine the benefits of using zoledronate and other bisphosphonates in the adjuvant treatment of cancers at an early stage of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, unité U664, Faculté de médecine Lyon-Est (domaine Laennec), 69372 Lyon, France. philippe.clezardin@inserm.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clézardin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007093:Imidazoles; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid