	The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has developed a new set of recommendations for using bone-modifying agents for patients with metastatic breast cancer amid growing therapeutic options and fresh concerns about serious skeletal-related events.

	The ASCO panel said only patients with evidence of bone metastases should be treated with the therapy, and that there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate greater efficacy of 1 bone-modifying agent over another.

	The options are: denosumab 120 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks; intravenous pamidronate 90 mg over no fewer than 2 hours; or zoledronic acid 4 mg over no fewer than 15 minutes every 3 to 4 weeks. Serum creatinine should be monitored before each dose, and patients should receive dental care before and during therapy.

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ASCO releases new recommendations amid growing therapeutic options and fresh concerns about serious skeletal-related events.

ASCO Updates Guidelines on Bone-Modifying Drugs in Breast Cancer

	A breast cancer diagnosis is a highly distressing, life-changing experience. A small study presented at the Oncology Nursing Society 11th National Conference on Cancer Nursing showed that just being at a higher risk for the disease can also alter a woman’s life.

	“It was surprising to me how very distressing the risk status itself is to both the women and their loved ones,” said Marlene Z. Cohen, PhD, RN, FAAN, from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, in a press release. Cohen presented the research along with Janice Phillips, PhD, RN, FAAN, from the Nursing Research and Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics and Global Health, University of Chicago Medical Center, Illinois.

	The researchers interviewed 19 African-American women aged 22 to 40 years who were considered to be at a high risk for breast cancer. High risk was defi ned as having a personal or family history of breast cancer and/or carrying a gene mutation linked to breast cancer. Overall, in women aged <45 years, African-American women’s risk for breast cancer is higher than Caucasian women’s risk. Young African-American women also frequently present at late stage with few treatment options.

	A majority of study participants reported that the high-risk status had changed their life. They described how being at a higher cancer risk altered their relationships and interactions with their family and friends. “It was clear that education and support is needed for these women and their families, as well as for nurses who care for and counsel high-risk populations,” Phillips said in a press release.

A breast cancer diagnosis is a highly distressing, life-changing experience

OncNurse

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ASCO Updates Guidelines on Bone-Modifying Drugs in Breast Cancer

The Meaning of Breast Cancer Risk and Surveillance Behaviors Among High-Risk African-American Women