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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
07:25
A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
Bone health and prostate cancer
1Department of Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02114, USA. psaylor@partners.org
Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases
|November 11, 2009
Summary
Osteoclast-targeted therapies like zoledronic acid and denosumab help manage bone metastases in advanced prostate cancer. Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) increases fracture risk, but bisphosphonates and denosumab show promise in preventing fractures.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Bone Metastasis Research
- Pharmacotherapy
Background:
- Bone metastases significantly impact men with advanced prostate cancer, causing pain, fractures, and spinal cord compression.
- Osteoclast activation is linked to disease progression, skeletal complications, and mortality in prostate cancer.
- Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer is associated with increased risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current osteoclast-targeted therapies for managing bone metastases in prostate cancer.
- To evaluate the role of bisphosphonates and denosumab in preventing skeletal-related events and fractures.
- To discuss the application of fracture risk assessment models for men receiving ADT.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on zoledronic acid, denosumab, and other bisphosphonates in prostate cancer bone metastases.
- Analysis of data from phase III clinical trials investigating these therapies.
- Discussion of the World Health Organization's fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) in the context of ADT.
Main Results:
- Zoledronic acid is a standard treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer with bone metastases, reducing skeletal-related events.
- Denosumab is an experimental therapy targeting receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand, with ongoing trials for efficacy in bone metastases prevention.
- Bisphosphonates and denosumab have demonstrated benefits in improving bone mineral density and reducing fragility fractures in men receiving ADT.
Conclusions:
- Osteoclast-targeted therapies are crucial for managing bone metastases and associated complications in prostate cancer.
- Further research is needed to optimize zoledronic acid dosing, frequency, and duration.
- The FRAX tool is recommended for assessing fracture risk in men undergoing ADT due to the lack of a prostate cancer-specific algorithm.
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