Treatment with ibandronate preserves bone in experimental tumour-induced bone loss

Cancer-induced bone diseases are often associated with increased bone resor ption and pathological fractures. In recent years, osteoprotective agents s uch as bisphosphonates have been studied extensively and have been shown to inhibit cancer-related bone resorption in experimental and clinical studie s, The third-generation bisphosphonate, ibandronate (BM 21.0955), is a pote nt compound for controlling tumour osteolysis and hypercalcaemia in rats be aring Walker 256 carcinosarcoma, We have studied the effect of ibandronate given as an interventional treatm ent on bone strength and bone loss after the onset of tumour growth in bone . Our results suggest that it is capable of preserving bone quality in rats bearing Walker 256 carcinosarcoma cells, Since other bisphosphonates have produced comparable results in man after their success in the Walker 256 an imal models our findings suggest that ibandronate may be a powerful treatme nt for maintaining skeletal integrity in patients with metastatic bone dise ase.