Treatment of bone metastasis in prostate cancer: efficacy of a novel polybisphosphonate.

AIM: To investigate the in vivo efficacy of a novel polybisphosphonate (ODX) in the treatment of bone metastasis from prostate cancer.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A rat prostatic carcinoma model was used. Forty-two rats (21 control, 21 treatment) had induction of bone lesions through injection of AT6.1 cells into the distal medullar cavity of long bones (right femur). At day 21 post injection, radiographs were taken and tumor score (severity of lesions, 0-4) and tumor incidence (score >0) were determined. Treatment started at day 23 and lasted until day 49 (four i.v. administrations of ODX during four weeks).

RESULTS

ODX reduced the severity of the lesions compared to the control group. Forty-seven percent of the treated rats had regression of their lesions at the study end, including four rats showing disappearance of the lesions i.e. score 0. Osteocondensation at the growth plate was only observed in the treatment group, indicating osteoclast inhibition.

CONCLUSION

In spite of a relatively short treatment period with only four administrations, ODX showed significant efficacy (p=0.0023), with inhibition of tumor progression and osteolysis. The results are encouraging, confirming previous in vitro studies. Clinical research is pending on patients with bone metastasis from castration-resistant prostate cancer.