Disodium pamidronate in the treatment of bone metastases from breast cancer.

AIMS AND

BACKGROUND

Symptomatic relief of bone metastases with biphosphonates has been previously reported, but limited data are available on the possibility of the induction of sclerosis in osteolytic lesions.

METHODS

We therefore initiated an open study with disodium pamidronate (45 mg infused over 1 h and repeated every 21 days) in patients with bone metastases from breast cancer pretreated with chemotherapy and/or hormonetherapy. Fourteen patients with measurable lytic or mixed bone disease entereted the study. No other systemic therapy for breast cancer was allowed after their inclusion in the study.

RESULTS

No radiologic evidence of bone sclerosis of lytic disease was seen. After 2 months of therapy, 9 patients had progressed and 5 had stable disease. The median time to progression of bone disease was 1.6 months (range, 1-9). No significant improvement in terms of symptomatic status or analgesic consumption was recorded. The treatment was well tolerated, and no significant local or systemic toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Disodium pamidronate at a dose of 45 mg every 3 weeks is not capable of inducing sclerosis of lytic lesions from pretreated breast cancer. Further trials concentrating on higher dosages of disodium pamidronate are warranted.