The benefits of zoledronic acid may begin from treating osteoporosis to various cancers. A latest study suggests that zoledronic acid does not enhance disease-free survival among women with stage II/III breast cancer. The study findings supposedly do not create an impact on the current usage of zoledronic acid for treating metastatic bone disease.
The Adjuvant Treatment with Zoledronic Acid in Stage II/III Breast Cancer (AZURE) trial was initiated on 3,360 patients with stage II/III breast cancer from 174 centers. Patients were randomly assigned to receive standard therapy or to standard therapy along with zoledronic acid. While 1,101 patients were five years post-menopause, 29 percent reported improvement in overall survival. It appeared that the primary outcome was disease-free survival. No difference in disease-free survival among the overall population was registered.
Scientists confirmed 17 patients representing 1.1 percent osteonecrosis cases of the jaw over the study period. Robert Coleman, M.D., professor of medical oncology at the University of Sheffield in England and colleagues conclude that zoledronic acid is apparently unable to improve disease-free survival among women with stage II/III breast cancer. Improvement in overall survival probably was a secondary outcome.
The study was presented at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.