title: Bisphosphonates may protect against bone loss in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy: results from a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The efficacy of bisphosphonates (BPs) in treating bone loss associated with cancer therapies has been demonstrated in completed studies and ongoing clinical trials. The aim of this study was to investigate the evidence for BP use in treatment of bone loss in postmenopausal, early breast cancer (EBC) patients scheduled to receive aromatase inhibitors (AI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive search for relative articles published until December 2013 was performed. The outcomes included the percentage and absolute change in lumbar spine (LS) and total hip (TH) bone mineral density (BMD). Before pooled meta-analysis, the studies were evaluated for publication bias and heterogeneity. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. We also performed subgroup and sensitivity analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 11 trials contributed to the analysis. BP was shown to be efficacious in increasing BMD at the LS and TH. WMD in BMD absolute change was 0.21 g/cm(2) (95% CI, 0.13-0.28) at the LS and 0.27 g/cm(2) (95% CI, 0.02-0.12) at the TH. WMD in BMD percentage change was 5.42 (95% CI, 4.37-6.48) at the LS and 3.03 (95% CI, 2.01-4.01) at the TH. Subgroup analysis revealed that age difference, interventional duration, types of interventions and BP types were associated with variable effects on BMD at the LS and TH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BPs may protect against bone loss in postmenopausal women with EBC receiving adjuvant AI treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of New District Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Guoqiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of New District Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of New District Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Guodong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of New District Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Chenchun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of New District Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Chuang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of New District Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, People's Hospital of New District Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: yongzhong676@126.com.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017698:Postmenopause; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates
keywords: Aromatase inhibitors; Bisphosphonates; Bone loss; Early breast cancer; Postmenopausal