Breast cancer treatment hard on the bones: study

[Joe]

The bones of breast cancer patients tend to age prematurely as a result of chemotherapy and aromatase inhibitor therapy, according to research reported at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research meeting this week.

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[Sandy in Silicon Valley]

Hi,

This study, as Reuters reported it with quotes from one of the PIs, a Dr. Camacho of Loyola U./Chicago, is pretty scary stuff for those of us on longterm chemo and/or AI treatments.

I tried to find the original study through a Google search, but didn't come up with it, so it may not have been published online as yet, since it was just presented at the conference.

For one thing, since I've been on chemo for a total of about 15 months, and an AI for 3 years on separate occasions, I'm going to ask my onc to order a new bone density scan for me.

Fortunately, I don't have bone metastases, which I'd imagine would complicate matters further. Or maybe some of the bone- strengthening treatments that patients with bone mets often get actually strengthen other bones than just the ones with metastatic disease?

But since I'll likely go through more chemo treatments for Stage IV bc progression before I give up on treatment, or it gives up on me, I want to make sure that I'm not living out whatever is left of my life crippled with osteoporosis. If it means taking Boniva or some other bone-strengthening supplement, along with my other meds, I am willing to go there. It's just one more risk brought on by treatment side effects, which I'd like to proactively prevent, if possible (like my high bp, cough variant asthma, dry eyes, diarrhea, etc.!)

(((hugs)))
Sandy in Silicon Valley

[dhealey]

You don't have to have bone mets to be at risk or even be stageIV. It's chemo like adramycin and meds such as arimidex, aromasin, femera that deplete the bones. Taking calcium supplements and doing weight bearing exercise such as free weights and walking help keep the bones strong. Since most breast cancer patients are on these meds they can get a bone density test yearly and most insurance will pay.