Breast Cancer Research

official impact factor 5.79

Review

Prevention of bone metastases and management of bone health in early breast cancer

Michael Gnant1* and Peyman Hadji2

Author Affiliations

1 Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, Austria

2 Department of Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Philipps University of Marburg, Universitäts Klinikum Giessen und Marburg, Standort Marburg Balderingstrasse, 35034 Marburg, Germany

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Breast Cancer Research 2010, 12:216 doi:10.1186/bcr2768

Published: 17 December 2010

Abstract

Treatment options for women with early-stage breast cancer have never been better, and the addition of bisphosphonates to adjuvant therapy is a valuable new tool capable of substantially improving clinical outcomes for these women. Several recent studies demonstrated that the anticancer activity of bisphosphonates is not limited to bone, and can translate into a reduction in disease recurrence, including reductions in locoregional and distant metastases. In addition, bisphosphonates maintain bone health during adjuvant therapy; this may be especially important for women who are at high risk for fracture.