Address of Corresponding Author

Oncology 2005;68:10-17 (DOI: 10.1159/000084517)

  Key Words

• Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography
• Lung cancer
• Bone metastases
• Bisphosphonates
• Zoledronic acid

  Abstract

With recent advances in cancer management, patients with metastatic bone disease are likely to have a prolonged clinical course, with skeletal-related events such as pain, hypercalcemia, pathologic fractures, spinal cord and nerve compression. Bisphosphonate use has resulted in the reduction of skeletal-related complications for a number of tumors including breast, prostate and myeloma, and improvements in the quality of life for patients. There is now evidence that newer, highly potent, nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates reduce skeletal complications in patients with bone metastases from other solid tumors (including lung cancer). The early identification of patients at high risk for developing bone metastases may help curtail a complex and costly clinical problem - skeletal-related events. In this article, we review the different mechanisms of bisphosphonates and the potential role of newer-generation bisphosphonates, such as zoledronic acid, in the management of advanced, metastatic bone disease. We include a review of mechanistic studies and preclinical data. Additionally, the utility of evolving concepts such as bone markers and imaging of bone metastases are discussed.

Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Nabil Saba, MD
550 Peachtree Street
Glenn Building
Atlanta, GA 30308 (USA)
Tel. +1 404 778 1900, Fax +1 404 686 4604, E-Mail nabil_saba@emory.org

  Article Information

Received: June 22, 2004
Accepted after revision: November 22, 2004
Published online: March 15,2005
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 53