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VIDEO: Longer follow-up needed to determine benefits of bisphosphonate therapy
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SAN ANTONIO — Longer follow-up is necessary to determine whether bisphosphonate therapy confers clinical benefit to postmenopausal women with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer, Amy H. Comander, MD, breast cancer oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, told HemOnc Today at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
“There is significant interest in the use of bisphosphonate therapy for our patients with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer, particularly those women who take aromatase inhibitors,” Comander said. “We know bisphosphonate [therapy] helps strengthen bones and decrease bone loss, and there also has been significant interest in whether bisphosphonate therapy can result in a lower risk for recurrence.”
In the TEAM IIb trial, Sabine Linn, MD, PhD, and colleagues evaluated the safety and efficacy of adding adjuvant ibandronate (Boniva, Roche) to hormonal therapy for postmenopausal women with early hormone receptor–positive breast cancer. Initial results showed no statistically significant DFS benefit at 3 years, the study’s primary endpoint.
However, results showed trends toward improved DFS and less bone metastases.
“It’s important to put this study in the context of other studies that have evaluated the role of bisphosphonate therapy for both pre- and postmenopausal women with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer,” Comander told HemOnc Today. “There are additional data using other bisphosphonates that [show] there may indeed be a benefit for use of a bisphosphonate as part of adjuvant therapy. So this study, perhaps with longer-term follow-up, may also show a similar benefit.” – by Kristie L. Kahl
Reference:
Vliek SB, et al. Abstract S6-02. Presented at: San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; Dec. 7-9, 2016; San Antonio.
Disclosure: Comander reports no relevant financial disclosures.