Oral daily ibandronatean effective and convenient therapy for skeletal complications in metastatic breast cancer

摘要

Bisphosphonate therapy reduces the relative risk of skeletal-related events in metastatic bone disease and is widely used in the long-term management of this condition. The efficacy of oral ibandronate, a third-generation high potency aminobisphosphonate, has been evaluated in patients with bone metastases from breast cancer. In a phase III trial (MF 4434), daily treatment with ibandronate 50 mg over 96 weeks significantly reduced the number of 12-week periods with new bone complications (the skeletal morbidity period rate [SMPR]) compared with placebo (P=0.037). These results were supported by a protocol-specified pooled analysis of this trial and another study of identical design (MF 4414), which demonstrated that overall SMPR and SMPR for bone radiotherapy were significantly reduced versus placebo (P=0.004). The pooled analysis also revealed that oral ibandronate rapidly reduced and maintained bone pain below baseline over 2 years of treatment (P=0.001 versus placebo) and significantly improved patient quality of life (P=0.03). Oral ibandronate is therefore an effective bisphosphonate for the management of metastatic bone disease, and offers a convenient alternative to intravenous (i.v.) bisphosphonate therapy.