Adjuvant Bisphosphonate for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Overall survival benefit of adding oral clodronate to standard adjuvant therapy was maintained after more than 8 years of follow-up.

Results of recent studies suggest potential benefits of the bisphosphonates zoledronic acid and clodronate as adjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer. Now, researchers provide long-term follow-up data from their original trial in which patients who received oral clodronate plus standard adjuvant therapy had significantly greater 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) after 3 years compared with those who received standard adjuvant therapy alone (NEJM 1998; 339:357).

A total of 302 patients with primary breast cancer, no evidence of metastatic disease, and at least one detected tumor cell in the bone marrow aspirate were enrolled in the initial study. Patient and tumor characteristics were well balanced between th…

Reviewing Author

William J. Gradishar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardLilly; AstraZeneca; Gilead

Grant/Research SupportBreast Cancer Research Foundation

Editorial BoardsClinical Breast Cancer; Oncology; Annals of Surgery; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Comprehensive Cancer Network (Chair, Breast Cancer Panel); American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology Board)