Osteoporosis: is it caused by chemo?Not just aging?

[JessicaV]

I was reading about the body draws calcium out of the bones to balance the pH when the blood becomes acidic after too much protein hits this system, either from diet or from tissue death. I figure that this must happen on chemo, when all those rapidly-dividing cells get killed off by the chemo which must also dump a lot of protein into the system. I wondered if anyone has researched this as a different kind of osteoporosis to the osteoporosis that is part of the normal aging process. Because I read that some sorts of osteoporosis have been found to be reversible, eg in young people who have been bedbound for a time. This is probably different from the osteoporosis found in women on tamoxifen or AIs. But I am wondering if this may be bound in with the fact that most women with breast cancer have very low levels of Vitamin D3. Which would help prevent laying down good bone again after this loss. Maybe most of us could recover bone health after chemo by having all the nutrients needed eg magnesium, calcium and other minerals, Vitamins A, C, D3, E, K2 etc.
Any comments?

[jaykay]

I’ve had osteopenia since I went through menopause 20+ years ago (pre breast cancer). Being on letrozole for many years does not help but I’m holding my own. My vitamin d levels have always been normal, even during chemo.

[tricia keegan]

I had Osteopenia after a few years on Arimidex. I couldn't take Fosamax so my Onc gave me an annual iv of Aclasta (a Zometa generic I think) for three years which reversed it. I'm not sure if chemo caused it but it's certainly a side effect of Arimidex which I was glad to take for ten years as I'm still NED.

[Donna H]

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at age 51 - right after a year of treatment (chemo, herceptin and radiation). My onc didn't say it was definitely a side effect of chemo but she did say I was really young to have full osteo in both my hips and spine plus osteopenia in my wrists. I've been getting Prolia every 6 months and my numbers have improved substantially. And no side effects!!

[CutiePie]

This is very interesting I have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis in my wrist and osteopenia in my spine. A year after finishing chemo I have a total hip replacement and the following year had the other hip replaced. The year after the hip surgery I had wrist/thumb surgeries (3 of them). So I wonder if all of this is due to the chemo. My BC was Stage 1 fortunately but ER-, PR- and Her 2+++, so probably can't take the AI's. Have an appointment with an Endo next year, so fingers crossed I can rebuild my bones before suffering a fracture. I have been take Calcium with D, plus additional Magnesium and D3. My Calcium levels have improved with the supplemental D3.

[Donna H]

I have had really good success with Prolia injections (every 6 months). My onc was shocked at how much improvement I had after my first 2 years of Prolia. He was hoping my numbers just wouldn't get any worse. Instead they improved! I get another bone density test in 2020 so it will be interesting to see the latest results.