Bisphosphonate News and Research

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Bisphosphonate is a drug or substance used to treat hypercalcemia (abnormally high blood calcium) and bone pain caused by some types of cancer. Forms of bisphosphonates are also used to treat osteoporosis and for bone imaging. Bisphosphonates inhibit a type of bone cell that breaks down bone. Also called diphosphonate.

Zoledronic acid increases disease-free survival in premenopausal women with HR+ early breast cancer

Adjuvant treatment with the bone sparing drug zoledronic acid plus hormonal therapy with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole significantly increases disease-free survival compared to tamoxifen in premenopausal women with hormone receptor positive (HR+) early breast cancer, according to results reported at ESMO 2018 Congress in Munich.

22 Oct 2018

Microscopic imaging helps better understand cancer bone metastasis

Scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have engineered a system allowing microscopic monitoring and imaging of cancer that has spread to the bone in mice so they can better understand and develop treatment for bone metastasis in humans.

2 Aug 2018

$Study finds incidence of fractures in 15% of osteoporosis patients who take 'drug holidays'$

Study finds incidence of fractures in 15% of osteoporosis patients who take 'drug holidays'

Patients who take osteoporosis drugs for long periods typically are advised to temporarily discontinue the drugs to prevent rare but serious side effects to the jaw and thighs.

4 May 2018

New treatment option appears promising for patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

About one in every 100 people in the world takes glucocorticoids long term to treat immune-mediated diseases. However, glucocorticoids, such as prednisone, have a side effect -- they induce the bone loss called osteoporosis, causing an estimated yearly bone fracture rate of 5 percent.

27 Apr 2018

Researchers find potential remedy that could restore hearing for millions

Researchers at USC and Harvard have developed a new approach to repair cells deep inside the ear -- a potential remedy that could restore hearing for millions of elderly people and others who suffer hearing loss.

5 Apr 2018

Scientists reveal novel approach to restoration of hearing

Hearing loss is a common affliction associated with advancing age and exposure to very loud noises, affecting two-thirds of adults over age 70.

4 Apr 2018

$Drug holiday from bisphosphonates for more than two years linked to higher hip fracture risk in women$

Drug holiday from bisphosphonates for more than two years linked to higher hip fracture risk in women

Women who took a drug holiday (temporary or permanent discontinuation of a medicine) from using bisphosphonates for more than two years have a significantly higher risk of a hip fracture compared to others who continued their treatment, according to new research findings presented this week at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego.

6 Nov 2017

Comprehensive surgical options could benefit osteoporosis patients with medication-related jaw necrosis

Osteoporosis patients who suffer drug side effects that result in painful exposed bone in the jaw could benefit if they are treated with one of the more comprehensive surgical options that could lower the risk of relapse and repeat surgery, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

5 Jul 2017

New therapeutic approach offers hope for individuals with debilitating bone cancer

An Australian-led research team has demonstrated a new therapeutic approach that can re-build and strengthen bone, offering hope for individuals with the debilitating bone cancer, multiple myeloma.

29 Jun 2017

ACR’s updated guideline provides recommendations on treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

The American College of Rheumatology's updated clinical guideline for the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is now available online.

7 Jun 2017

$Study finds higher risk of fractures among older, long-term bisphosphonate users$

Study finds higher risk of fractures among older, long-term bisphosphonate users

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes thinning of the bones, loss of bone density, and increasingly fragile bones. This puts people at higher risk for bone fractures. Risk for the disease increases as we age. In fact, 50% of women over the age of 50 will experience a bone facture due to osteoporosis.

2 Jun 2017

$New mutation predisposes patients under osteoporosis treatment to atypical femur fractures, study finds$

New mutation predisposes patients under osteoporosis treatment to atypical femur fractures, study finds

A team of researchers of the University of Barcelona and the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute have discovered a new mutation that has an impact on the bone so that it is vulnerable to the bisphosphonate, a drug used to treat osteoporosis.

4 May 2017

Commonly-prescribed drug for treating weak bone condition linked to increased risk of 'micro-cracks'

A type of drug used to treat weak bones is associated with an increased risk of 'micro-cracks' in bone, according to new research.

1 Mar 2017

Estrogen therapy can lead to healthier teeth and gums in postmenopausal women, study suggests

Estrogen therapy has already been credited with helping women manage an array of menopause-related issues, including reducing hot flashes, improving heart health and bone density, and maintaining levels of sexual satisfaction.

22 Feb 2017

Measuring BTMs could be practical way to identify patient's adherence to osteoporosis medications

Oral bisphosphonates are common first line treatments for osteoporosis. However, approximately half of patients who begin osteoporosis treatment do not follow their prescribed treatment and/or discontinue treatment within a year.

30 Jan 2017

New guidelines recommend evaluation of osteoporosis risk for all postmenopausal women

Osteoporosis is preventable and treatable, but only a small proportion of people at risk for fractures are evaluated and treated, according to new osteoporosis guidelines written by an expert panel headed by Loyola Medicine endocrinologist Pauline M. Camacho, MD, FACE.

30 Nov 2016

JBMR article highlights controversies in treating high-risk osteoporosis patients

The remarkable progress made over the past 30 years to reduce fractures and dramatically improve the quality of life for millions of osteoporosis patients is rapidly being reversed, say two bone health experts in a Journal of Bone and Mineral Research article published online today.

24 Jun 2016

$One-third of osteoporotic women taking oral bisphosphonates have elevated risk for bone fracture$

One-third of osteoporotic women taking oral bisphosphonates have elevated risk for bone fracture

More than 53 million Americans age 50 and older, primarily women, have osteoporosis or are at high risk for the condition due to low bone density. A recent study of oral bisphosphonates, the most commonly prescribed osteoporosis treatment, found that approximately a third of women prescribed these drugs continue to be at elevated risk for bone fracture, an outcome that may have several origins.

7 Jun 2016

$Multidisciplinary experts assess effects of osteoporosis drugs on fracture healing$

Multidisciplinary experts assess effects of osteoporosis drugs on fracture healing

In people with osteoporosis, one fracture often leads to more fractures, and potentially a future of pain, disability, and poor quality of life. While studies have shown that such high-risk patients benefit from appropriate medication to reduce future fracture risk, more research is needed on the effect of osteoporosis medications on fracture healing.

28 Apr 2016

Surgery better than widely used drugs for treating hyperparathyroidism

While most cases of osteoporosis are caused by normal aging, another leading cause of the bone-loss disease is a condition called hyperparathyroidism, in which the parathyroid glands release an excessive amount of a hormone that regulates the body's calcium levels.

5 Apr 2016