Interdisciplinary Consensus on the Use of Adjuvant Bisphosphonate Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Gynaecologists and oncologists (listed below) met in November 2008 to draw LIP recommendations to be used as guidelines for adjuvant treatment with bisphosphonates for the prevention of tumour progression in receptor positive breast cancer patients based on the Currently available evidence. Malignant epithelial tumours usually disseminate into bone marrow. Because of the abundance of cytokines and the stimulating growth factors found there, this microenvironment is ideal for the survival and growth of cancer cells. A variety of growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) or insulin-like growth factor (IGF) are accumulated within the bone matrix and can be released by stimulated osteoclasts and become available for tumour cells. Therefore the bone and its microenvironment play an important role in tumour progression because cancer cells can survive in bone marrow and grow to become bone metastases. In addition, tumour cells can reenter in the circulation and form new metastases in more distant organs. Recently, various Studies have shown that adjuvant bisphosphonate therapy can improve disease-free survival in hormone receptor positive breast cancer patients. Due to medical need and because detailed guidelines for this therapeutic intervention are still lacking, twelve experts have Put together recommendations for adjuvant bisphosphonate therapy based on the currently available evidence. This critical consensus could help to encourage the use of appropriate adjuvant bisphosphonate therapy in these patients.     «

Gynaecologists and oncologists (listed below) met in November 2008 to draw LIP recommendations to be used as guidelines for adjuvant treatment with bisphosphonates for the prevention of tumour progression in receptor positive breast cancer patients based on the Currently available evidence. Malignant epithelial tumours usually disseminate into bone marrow. Because of the abundance of cytokines and the stimulating growth factors found there, this microenvironment is ideal for the survival and gro...     »