Outcomes of patients with prostate cancer receiving zoledronic acid or pamidronate for prevention of skeletal-related events.

Study Objective: To determine the relative effectiveness of two bisphosphonates--pamidronate and zoledronic acid--for preventing skeletal-related events (SREs) in patients with prostate cancer metastatic to bone.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Large, tertiary care cancer center.

Pharmacoeconomics in oncology.

Healthcare costs in the USA continue to rise faster than the consumer price index. Nothing demonstrates this more vividly than the double-digit increases posted for the cost of the drug treatment of the oncology patient. A factor that will compound this cost is the expansion in the oncology patient population that will occur as the population ages.