Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Models of Bone Metastasis
Published on: September 4, 2012
Progress in the treatment of bone metastases in cancer patients
Malgorzata Mackiewicz-Wysocka1, Magdalena Pankowska, Piotr J Wysocki
1University of Medical Sciences, Department of Dermatology, Poznan, Poland.
Introduction:
Bone metastases are a frequent complication of cancer, occurring in up to 70% of patients with advanced breast or prostate cancer. Skeletal-related events involving pathological fractures, spinal cord compression and a need for surgery/radiotherapy, which are frequently observed in cancer patients with bone metastases have a detrimental effect on patients' survival and quality of life. Therefore, prevention of skeletal-related events is a crucial element in cancer treatment.
Areas Covered:
The aim of this article was to summarize data on bone-modifying agents used for treatment of cancer patients with bone metastases. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and abstracts from ASCO, AUA, ESMO, AACR congresses for clinical studies evaluating bone-modulating agents in the treatment of patients with bone metastases.
Expert Opinion:
In breast cancer patients with bone metastasis, several bisphosphonates and denosumab demonstrated clinical efficacy. On the other hand, in patients with bone metastases from prostate cancer or other solid tumors only zoledronic acid and denosumab were clinically active. However, neither bisphosphonates nor denosumab have any positive impact on survival of patients with bone metastases. In a recent interim analysis of a Phase III clinical study, a novel bone-modulating agent - radium-223 chloride (alpharadin), a bone-seeking alpha emitter, has been demonstrated to significantly improve median overall survival of prostate cancer patients with bone metastases compared with placebo.
Related Concept Videos
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Treatment Resistent Cancers
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Treatment Resistant Cancers