The Osteoporosis Drug Denosumab Reduces the Risk of Disease Progression and Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Aromatase Inhibitor Drug Treatment

According to a noteworthy study presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium held in December 2015, Denosumab used together with aromatase inhibitor drugs in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer was found to substantially reduce fracture risk and also reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

Hormonal treatments are mainly used in patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer (expressed as ER and PR positivity) to reduce the risk of disease recurrence (relapse) after initial treatment with surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. They can also be used in women considered at high risk for breast cancer and in some patients with advanced breast cancer. The hormonal treatment agents preferred in postmenopausal women are drugs called aromatase inhibitors (such as Anastrozole and Exemestane), which reduce estrogen production in the body. However, their most important adverse effect is that aromatase inhibitors can cause osteoporosis (bone loss) and consequently increase fracture risk.

Denosumab is a drug that slows bone loss by preventing the maturation of cells involved in bone breakdown. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Denosumab in women with breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitor treatment. In other words, Denosumab has been shown to help reduce bone-related adverse effects in breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitor treatment. However, a study published last month showed that its effect in these patients is not limited to this; it also reduces the risk of disease recurrence and progression.

In the study, approximately 3,500 postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitor treatment were divided into 2 groups. One group received Denosumab every 6 months, while the other did not, and they were followed for an average of 4 years. Denosumab was found to reduce the fracture risk caused by aromatase inhibitor treatment by approximately 50%, and also reduce cancer recurrence risk by 18%.

In conclusion, Denosumab is an extremely valuable drug for preventing and treating bone-related adverse effects in women with breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitor treatment. This study once again demonstrated that this drug should be considered not only in breast cancer patients who develop osteoporosis, but in every postmenopausal woman given aromatase inhibitor drugs.