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WASHINGTON — Aromatase inhibitors are associated with small but significant levels of additional bone loss in osteopenic women who take the drugs for hormone-sensitive breast cancer, according to a study of 104 women.
After just 1 year of aromatase inhibitor therapy, these women lost a mean of 1.5% in bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and 2% at the femoral neck, Dr. Pamela Taxel reported in a poster session at an international symposium sponsored by the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Expected bone loss associated with natural progression generally would be about 0.5%–1% per year, according to Dr. Taxel of the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, who with her colleagues performed a chart review of 104 women (mean age 58 years) who were taking the drugs for breast cancer for up to 2 years and were evaluated for bone health. Of these, 61 (58%) had osteopenia. Eleven patients were taking a bisphosphonate at baseline. They were followed for an additional year.
Lumbar spine BMD measurements were available at baseline and at 1 year for 39 women. After 1 year, the women had lost a mean of 1.5% in BMD at this site; 18 women had lost more than 3%. Baseline and 1-year femoral neck BMD measurements were available for 36 women. After 1 year, there was a mean BMD decrease of 2% at this site. Four women lost more than 3% at the spine and more than 5% at the femoral neck.
Two of the 36 women with both lumbar spine and femoral neck data progressed to osteoporosis during the follow-up period.
WASHINGTON — Aromatase inhibitors are associated with small but significant levels of additional bone loss in osteopenic women who take the drugs for hormone-sensitive breast cancer, according to a study of 104 women.
After just 1 year of aromatase inhibitor therapy, these women lost a mean of 1.5% in bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and 2% at the femoral neck, Dr. Pamela Taxel reported in a poster session at an international symposium sponsored by the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Expected bone loss associated with natural progression generally would be about 0.5%–1% per year, according to Dr. Taxel of the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, who with her colleagues performed a chart review of 104 women (mean age 58 years) who were taking the drugs for breast cancer for up to 2 years and were evaluated for bone health. Of these, 61 (58%) had osteopenia. Eleven patients were taking a bisphosphonate at baseline. They were followed for an additional year.
Lumbar spine BMD measurements were available at baseline and at 1 year for 39 women. After 1 year, the women had lost a mean of 1.5% in BMD at this site; 18 women had lost more than 3%. Baseline and 1-year femoral neck BMD measurements were available for 36 women. After 1 year, there was a mean BMD decrease of 2% at this site. Four women lost more than 3% at the spine and more than 5% at the femoral neck.
Two of the 36 women with both lumbar spine and femoral neck data progressed to osteoporosis during the follow-up period.
WASHINGTON — Aromatase inhibitors are associated with small but significant levels of additional bone loss in osteopenic women who take the drugs for hormone-sensitive breast cancer, according to a study of 104 women.
After just 1 year of aromatase inhibitor therapy, these women lost a mean of 1.5% in bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and 2% at the femoral neck, Dr. Pamela Taxel reported in a poster session at an international symposium sponsored by the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Expected bone loss associated with natural progression generally would be about 0.5%–1% per year, according to Dr. Taxel of the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, who with her colleagues performed a chart review of 104 women (mean age 58 years) who were taking the drugs for breast cancer for up to 2 years and were evaluated for bone health. Of these, 61 (58%) had osteopenia. Eleven patients were taking a bisphosphonate at baseline. They were followed for an additional year.
Lumbar spine BMD measurements were available at baseline and at 1 year for 39 women. After 1 year, the women had lost a mean of 1.5% in BMD at this site; 18 women had lost more than 3%. Baseline and 1-year femoral neck BMD measurements were available for 36 women. After 1 year, there was a mean BMD decrease of 2% at this site. Four women lost more than 3% at the spine and more than 5% at the femoral neck.
Two of the 36 women with both lumbar spine and femoral neck data progressed to osteoporosis during the follow-up period.