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Updated: Apr 16, 2026

Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
Published on: March 20, 2020
Bone-targeted therapy in metastatic breast cancer - all well-established knowledge?
Simon P Gampenrieder1, Gabriel Rinnerthaler1, Richard Greil1
1III Medical Department with Hematology, Medical Oncology, Hemostaseology, Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Oncologic Center, Salzburg Cancer Research Institute (SCRI) with Laboratory of Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research (LIMCR) and Center for Clinical Cancer and Immunology Trials (CCCIT), Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Abstract:
Bone-targeted therapies like bisphosphonates (zoledronic acid or pamidronate) or denosumab are recommended in all patients with metastatic breast cancer and bone metastases, whether they are symptomatic or not. The choice between these 2 different agents, however, remains open. In this review, we critically discuss the emerging evidence for direct anti-tumor activity of bone-targeting agents, the utility of bone turnover markers for treatment decision and efficacy prediction, as well as the safety and financial aspects of bisphosphonates and denosumab. Furthermore, we provide a possible therapeutic algorithm, and present new pharmacologic agents which are being investigated for the treatment of metastatic bone disease.
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