From Theory to Practice: Bone Health in Women with Early Breast Cancer Treated with Aromatase Inhibitors

Bone complications of cancer treatment

With the advancements in conventional treatment modalities such as radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery, as well as the emergence of immunotherapy, the overall cure rate for solid tumor malignancies has experienced a significant increase. However, it is unfortunate that exposure to cancer treatments can have detrimental effects on the function of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, disturbing bone metabolic homeostasis in patients, as well as causing damage to bone marrow cells and other bone tissues. Consequently, certain tumor treatment options may pose a risk for subsequent bone diseases. Common bone disorders associated with cancer treatment include osteonecrosis, bone loss, and secondary bone tumors. (1)Cancer treatment-related osteonecrosis is primarily linked to the use of radiation therapy and certain chemicals, such as bisphosphonates, denosumab, antiangiogenic agents, and immunomodulators. It has been observed that high-dose radiation therapy is more likely to result in osteonecrosis. (2)Chemicals and hormones, particularly sex hormones, glucocorticoids, and thyroid hormones or thyrotropic hormones, are among the factors that can contribute to cancer treatment-related bone loss. (3)Secondary bone tumors differ from metastases originating from primary tumors, and radiotherapy plays a significant role in their development, while chemotherapy may also exert some influence. Radiogenic secondary bone tumors are predominantly malignant, with osteosarcoma being the most common type. Chemotherapy may be a risk factor for the relatively rare occurrence of secondary Ewing sarcoma of the bone. These treatment-related bone disorders have a considerable adverse impact on the prognosis of cancer patients. Hence, it is imperative to prioritize the bone health of patients undergoing cancer treatment and give it further attention.

Vitamin D Deficiency in Women with Breast Cancer: A Correlation with Osteoporosis? A Machine Learning Approach with Multiple Factor Analysis

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent malignant tumor in women in Europe and North America, and the use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is recommended in women affected by estrogen receptor-positive BCs. AIs, by inhibiting the enzyme that converts androgens into estrogen, cause a decrement in bone mineral density (BMD), with a consequent increased risk of fragility fractures. This study aimed to evaluate the role of vitamin D3 deficiency in women with breast cancer and its correlation with osteoporosis and BMD modifications. This observational cross-sectional study collected the following data regarding bone health: osteoporosis and osteopenia diagnosis, lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD), serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), calcium and parathyroid hormone. The study included 54 women with BC, mean age 67.3 ± 8.16 years. Given a significantly low correlation with the LS BMD value (r2 = 0.30, p = 0.025), we assessed the role of vitamin D3 via multiple factor analysis and found that BMD and vitamin D3 contributed to the arrangement of clusters, reported as vectors, providing similar trajectories of influence to the construction of the machine learning model. Thus, in a cohort of women with BC undergoing Ais, we identified a very low prevalence (5.6%) of patients with adequate bone health and a normal vitamin D3 status. According to our cluster model, we may conclude that the assessment and management of bone health and vitamin D3 status are crucial in BC survivors.

Effectiveness of intervention for aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms (AIMSS) are among the most common prominent side effects in patients using aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for breast cancer. Muscle and joint pain, morning stiffness, arthritis, and bone loss are common clinical symptoms in individuals. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been demonstrated to be useful in the treatment of AIMSS in previous investigations, although the sample sizes were limited, and systematic reviews were inadequate. The effectiveness and safety of TCM in the treatment of AIMSS will be investigated in this study.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials from January 2010 to October 2021 were limited to English or Chinese. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Medline, China Biomedical Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, and the VIP database. Two researchers reviewed the literature and retrieved the data independently. Review Manager V5.3.was used to conduct the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

This systematic review and meta-analysis presents the most recent data on the use of TCM to treat AIMSS and offers a scientifically sound foundation for therapeutic practice. Upon completion, the findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

As the systematic review protocol did not involve human subjects, ethical approval was not required.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020192553.