Bisphosphonates are traditionally a group of drugs sued to treat or prevent osteoporosis (bone thinning). They are still used for this purpose.
However, bisphosphonates have also been shown to reduce risk of cancer returning in some groups of women, and thus are now offered to postmenopausal women who have been treated for a moderate to high risk primary breast cancer.
They are also sometimes used in the treatment of secondary breast cancer.
Treatments offered at HHFT are usually either zolendronic acid or ibandronic acid,
Zolendronic acid is given in hospital by your oncology team via intravenous infusion once every 6 months for 2-3 years.
Ibandronic acid is given via tablet form once per day, usually for 3 years.
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