The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Bone and Cancer Working Group has released a comprehensive review detailing the often underrecognized impact of modern anti-cancer treatments on bone health. Published in Calcified Tissue International , the article Bone Effects of Anti-Cancer Treatments in 2024 was conducted by an international team of 14 experts across Europe, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the Middle East. It highlights the pressing need to address cancer treatment-induced bone loss (CTIBL), including in patients undergoing cutting-edge therapies.
Professor Cyrille B. Confavreux, last and corresponding author of the review and member of the IOF Bone and Cancer Working Group, stated: “Significant advancements in cancer treatment have emerged over the past decade with the introduction of anti-cancer immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, and targeted therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Consequently, many patients experience long-lasting remissions and cures. This means more cancer patients are facing new long-term challenges—among them, bone fragility and the increased risk of fractures.”
The publication provides a concise review of the bone effects of major anti-cancer therapies currently in use, including newer agents, and discusses their known cellular impacts, effects on bone mineral density (BMD), and fracture incidence by drug category. Among the key messages:
Professor René Rizzoli, Chair of the IOF Bone and Cancer Working Group, stated. “While today’s cancer therapies have significantly improved survival, they come with a hidden cost—an increased risk of bone loss and life-altering fragility fractures.”
“For this reason, we strongly advocate for a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together oncologists, endocrinologists, and general practitioners to ensure early screening and proactive bone-protective strategies for patients at high risk of fracture.”
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Reference
Teissonnière, M., Point, M., Biver, E., Hadji, P., Bonnelye, E., Ebeling, P. R., Kendler, D., de Villiers, T., Holzer, G., Body, J.-J., El Hajj Fuleihan, G., Brandi, M. L., Rizzoli, R., & Confavreux, C. B. (2025). Bone Effects of Anti-Cancer Treatments in 2024 . Calcified Tissue International , 116, 54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-025-01362-0
About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF’s network includes membership committees comprised of scientific experts, 340 patient, medical societies and universities in more than 150 countries, as well as over 1100 Fracture Liaison Services in all regions of the world. The IOF network is united in its mission to prioritize bone health and fracture prevention, striving toward a shared vision of a world free from fragility fractures, where healthy mobility is a reality for all. @iofbonehealth
Websites: www.osteoporosis.foundation ; www.capturethefracture.org ; www.worldosteoporosisday.org ; www.buildbetterbones.org ; https://www.iofacademy.org/
Calcified Tissue International
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Bone Effects of Anti-Cancer Treatments in 2024
27-Mar-2025