Reducing Calcium Excretion in Women with Breast Cancer Using Pamidronate
Author Information
Author(s): D.J. Dodwell, A. Howell, J. Ford
Primary Institution: Christie Hospital
Hypothesis
Oral pamidronate will reduce calcium excretion in women with breast cancer and bone metastases.
Conclusion
Oral pamidronate is effective in reducing calcium excretion associated with metastatic breast cancer to bone.
Supporting Evidence
- Pamidronate significantly reduced urinary calcium excretion in all patients.
- The mean calcium/creatinine ratio fell significantly after one week of treatment.
- Oral pamidronate was found to be non-toxic at doses of 150 mg and 300 mg daily.
- Patients on 150 mg daily saw a drop in mean calcium/creatinine ratio from 0.65 to 0.13 after three weeks.
- At higher doses, some patients experienced mild gastrointestinal toxicity.
Takeaway
This study shows that a pill can help women with breast cancer and bone problems by lowering the amount of calcium in their urine.
Methodology
A phase I/II trial was conducted with 16 women receiving varying doses of oral pamidronate, measuring urinary calcium/creatinine ratios before and after treatment.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and did not determine the minimum effective dose of pamidronate.
Participant Demographics
All participants were women with metastatic breast cancer and evidence of active bone resorption.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
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