Bone health in elderly cancer patients
Although anti-resorptive therapies are especially important for elderly patients with cancer, they are typically underutilised in this population, which also does not benefit from exercise and adequate calcium and vitamin D supplementation.
Older age is associated with increased risk for invasive malignancies, such as breast and prostate cancer, with a higher risk of bone metastasis. Underuse of antiresorptive therapies may be more detrimental in elderly patients compared with younger patients because of multiple fracture risk factors, including physiological decreases in BMD and increases in vertebral fracture rate with increasing age.
Use of bisphosphonates in elderly patients
The task force reviewed information from the literature on bisphosphonates in elderly patients with bone metastases. Safety precautions are particularly important in this population, and further research is needed.