Combined therapies of bone disease with bisphosphonates

• Published in: Current pharmaceutical design Vol. 16; no. 27; p. 2988
• Main Authors: Syddall, S P, Ottewell, P D, Holen, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Arab Emirates 01-01-2010
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Bone Density Conservation Agents - administration & dosage; Bone Density Conservation Agents - pharmacology; Bone Density Conservation Agents - therapeutic use; Bone Neoplasms - drug therapy; Bone Neoplasms - secondary; Bone Resorption - drug therapy; Bone Resorption - prevention & control; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Diphosphonates - administration & dosage; Diphosphonates - pharmacology; Diphosphonates - therapeutic use; Disease Progression; Female; Humans; Male; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Prostatic Neoplasms - drug therapy
• ISSN: 1873-4286
• DOI: 10.2174/138161210793563590

Bisphosphonates are standard treatment for cancer-induced bone disease, a common feature of many advanced malignancies. Traditionally used to inhibit bone turnover and reduce the risk of skeletal-related events, there is now increasing pre-clinical evidence that these agents may also affect tumour burden and disease progression. In particular, combining bisphosphonates with chemotherapeutic agents has been demonstrated to cause substantially increased anti-tumour effects compared to giving the single agents. Clinical studies are in progress to determine whether adding bisphosphonates to standard anti-cancer therapy results in improved outcome for patients. Here we give an overview of the key pre-clinical studies of anti-tumour effects of bisphosphonates, alone and in combination with other agents, and introduce some of the ongoing clinical trials that aim to determine the clinical relevance of bisphosphonates in combination therapy.