Drug may increase bone loss in breast cancer patients

Researchers have found that a type of medication called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which is used to reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapy, may decrease bone mineral density and increase the risk of bone tumours.

The findings, published in the journal Blood, suggest that doctors should closely monitor the bone health of patients with breast cancer and other tumours who receive G-CSF following chemotherapy.

G-CSF is a form of chemical called a growth factor that is used to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and encourage the production of white blood cells, which can be damaged by the cancer treatment.

In their study, Dr Katherine Weilbaecher, from Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri, USA, and colleagues found that mice receiving an 8-day course of G-CSF lost significant levels of bone mass and experienced increased bone tumour growth when injected with cancer cells, compared with those that did not receive the drug.

"This growth factor encourages bone breakdown, and any therapy that decreases bone density could potentially enhance tumor growth in bone," said Dr Weilbaecher.
She added: "Physicians should carefully monitor their cancer patients' bone health with regular bone density scans and prescribe medications to prevent bone loss when needed. And patients should consume enough calcium and vitamin D and get sufficient exercise to maintain strong bones."

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