Study: Osteoporosis Drugs May Fight Breast Cancer

MIAMI (CBS4) -- A common drug which many older women take to protect against bone loss and the osteoporosis may have unexpected benefits. A new study claims it might actually protect women from developing breast cancer.

Bisphosphonates, such as Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva, are used to treat osteoporosis and now scientists suspect those drugs help women, who previously had cancer, avoid a recurrence.

"We have thought for years now that bisphosphonates might actually kill breast cancer cells," said medical oncologist Dr. Marilyn Raymond. "And there is now retrospective data looking back at women with a history of breast cancer that they have one third decreased risk of reoccurrence."

 New studies indicate that the bisphosphonates may actually have greater benefit to more women than previously thought.

"The new data at the San Antonio breast meeting this year was that in women who have not had breast cancer that they're also seeing a decreased onset of breast cancer, that it seems to have a preventative effect," according to Dr. Raymond.

The study, involving more than 150,000 women, showed women who used oral bisphosphonates were 32-percent less likely than other postmenopausal women to develop invasive breast cancer.

In addition to protecting against fragile bones, oral bisphosphonates might also be a new weapon in the arsenal to fight breast cancer.

Scientists hypothesize that the drugs may reduce blood flow or stimulate immune cells.

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