Bone health management of Australian breast cancer survivors receiving hormonal therapy

Intern Med J. 2015 Nov;45(11):1182-5. doi: 10.1111/imj.12897.

Abstract

Breast cancer survivors are at risk of bone loss due to hormonal treatment. We conducted a case note audit to investigate patterns of care and adherence to guidelines for initial management of risk of bone loss in 42 women receiving hormonal therapy. All those receiving aromatase inhibitors (n = 14) and 10 on tamoxifen had a bone density assessment. Eleven (26%) women had osteopenia and four (9.5%) osteoporosis. Management was variable and not always aligned with the guidelines.

Keywords: aromatase inhibitors; bone; breast cancer; osteoporosis.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use
  • Aromatase Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Aromatase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Australia / epidemiology
  • Bone Density / drug effects*
  • Bone Density / physiology
  • Bone Density Conservation Agents / pharmacology
  • Bone Density Conservation Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic / diagnosis
  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic / epidemiology
  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic / prevention & control
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Disease Management*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteoporosis / diagnosis
  • Osteoporosis / epidemiology
  • Osteoporosis / prevention & control
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survivors*
  • Tamoxifen / adverse effects
  • Tamoxifen / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Aromatase Inhibitors
  • Bone Density Conservation Agents
  • Tamoxifen