Hi Ladies,after 6 monthly doses of Zometa I’ve been told I will now be having it quarterly. I’m a bit worried about this as I have mets throughout my spine and ribs. My BCN said all hospitals are different (I’m at The Christie in Manchester). I haven’t had the chance to discuss this with my oncologist yet. Does anyone know the reasoning behind this? I believe there was some research done showing monthly and quarterly administration gave similar results but I don’t know a lot about it. All other bone mets ladies I know are having it monthly. I thought the general practice was 18 months monthly and then switch to quarterly. Cheers, FB x
Searching on “zoledronic acid” I found this research article, published in May 2013:
mdlinx.com/oncology/news-article.cfm/4625532/
In case the link doesn’t work, it was a phase 3 trial in Italy, with more than 400 patients, half of whom were given Zometa 4-weekly and the other half 12-weekly.
Amadori D et al.
Efficacy and safety of 12-weekly versus 4-weekly zoledronic acid for prolonged treatment of patients with bone metastases from breast cancer (ZOOM): a phase 3, open-label, randomised, non-inferiority trial . The Lancet Oncology, 05/17/2013 Clinical Article
Zometa is a good drug - I had it 4-weekly for 6 months in 2007-8, and it stabilised all my bone mets. I was then prescribed ibandronic acid tablets, which I’ve taken ever since. You might want to ask your onc about these as another option.
I started on the tablet form bisphosphonates and took them for about 6 months, but that was six years ago. Then last year, I started monthly Zometa and had that for about a year (don’t remember exactly how long?! Chemo brain anyone?!!), before I switched to the monthly Denosumab injection about four months ago. It’s a breeze compared to playing Hunt the Vein every month or taking the tablets. Good luck with whatever treatment you have.
Hi funnyboots, I have never heard of having the bone strenghteners quarterly. I started in 1999 with pamidronate then Zolidronate infusions then tried the Bondronate pills for a while but did not like them and preferred the infusion which I am now having every 4 weeks. I was going to have the denusunab injections but my Oncologist and dentist discussed this but because it is a newer form of biphosphonate and there is not much feedback about it yet… and the fact that I have osteonecrosis of the jaw… they said I should not start it. Let us know if your hear more about the quarterly one.
Hi FB
I’ve had every 4 weeks for 5 and half years.
See you soon
Sue x
I have Zometa IV along with Herceptin every 3 weeks. I was recently told I would be changing to Denosumab which is an injection every 4 weeks but my onc did a U turn on this preferring to keep to the 3 weekly regime for as long as I am on Herceptin.
Thanks for all your info ladies. Thanks to MrsBlue’s recommended research article I found is that the only significant difference is an increase in Median N-terminal telopeptide concentration (bone turnover) in the 12 weekly group. This isn’t good apparently! The Christie doesn’t test for it as routine. However, I’m going to be ask to be tested for it if they switch me to 12 weekly Zometa. Zometa stays in the body for a long time, but I don’t feel having just 6 months of Zometa before switching to a 12 weekly plan is enough (bit what do I know!). However, I don’t want to take a drug needlessly either. So I think the test is a good compromise. x