Treating Bone Metastases and Skeletal-Related Events in Patients with Breast Cancer
Patients with cancer continue to live longer, which may increase the likelihood that they experience an SRE.6 SREs can have negative consequences, as patients with breast cancer without a fracture have been shown to survive longer than those who experienced a fracture.29 Current treatment options are underutilized but offer a positive impact on SREs associated with bone metastases, and improved skeletal health may provide important benefits to patients.27
Since their introduction, IV bisphosphonates have become a mainstay for managing metastatic bone disease from breast cancer, as reflected in the ASCO guidelines.5 They have been shown to reduce cancer-related bone complications in specific malignancies by delaying the time to a first SRE and reducing the risk of developing a subsequent bone complication.30,31,32 Regular monitoring of renal function is recommended when IV bisphosphonates are used for patients with bone metastases due to the potential consequence of renal deterioration.19,33,34
