Klin Farmakol Farm. 2006;20(3):129-134

MANAGEMENT OF METASTATIC BONE DISEASE FROM BREAST CANCER IN TWO ONCOLOGICAL CENTER IN CZECH REPUBLIC - RETROSPEKTIVE ANALYSIS

Veronika Vokatá², doc. MUDr. Karel Odrážka Ph.D¹, Aleš Kuběna², Jiří Vlček²

¹ Klinika onkologie a radioterapie FN a LF UK Hradec Králové

² Katedra sociální a klinické farmacie, Farmaceutická fakulta, Univerzita Karlova, Hradec Kralové

Aim: Bone metastases occur in up to 70 % of patients with breast cancer and represent high risk of SRE development (Skeletal Related Events) and bone pain which result in decreasing quality of life. Bisphosphonates are potent compounds which decline the occurrence and relapse of SRE. The aim of study was to evaluate the therapy with bisphosphonates in patients with metastatic bone disease from breast cancer.

Methods: Retrospective observation study is involving two university oncological centers in Czech Republic. The data for analysis were obtained from medical records of 130 patients with bone metastases from breast cancer who died between years 2001 and 2005. We followed up initiating and duration of treatment with bisphosphonates in the relationship with date of diagnosis of bone metastases and occurrence of SRE.

Results: Seventy-six (58,5 %) women of 130 enrolled patients were treated with bisphosphonates. In 22 (28,9 %) of them the therapy was initiated within 30 days after diagnosis of bone metastases. Median of time of treatment with oral bisphosphonates (134 days) and intravenous bisphosphonates (52 days) was different. A total of 41 (31,5 %) women underwent 48 pathological fractures. The most frequent were vertebral fractures (44 %) followed by pelvic and leg fractures (27 %) and rib fractures (25 %). More than quarter of patients was treated with bisphosphonates after occurrence of fracture, the same rate of women were not treated at all. Almost seventy-five percent of palliative radiotherapy procedures were realized prior to the treatment with bisphosphonates.

Conclusion: Bisphosphonates represents a standard treatment in palliative therapy of bone metastases in patients with breast cancer. Retrospective follow-up of 130 patients assessed the therapy and showed possible deficiencies and challenges into the future.

Keywords: Key words: bisphosphonates, bone metastases, breast cancer, quality of life.

Published: January 1, 2007  Show citation