Bisphosphonate treatment in primary breast cancer: results from a randomised comparison of oral pamidronate versus no pamidronate in patients with primary breast cancer.

Purpose And Patients: During the period from January 1990 to January 1996 a total of 953 patients with lymph node negative primary breast cancer were randomised to oral pamidronate (n=460) 150 mg twice daily for 4 years or no adjuvant pamidronate (n=493) in order to investigate whether oral pamidronate can prevent the occurrence of bone metastases and fractures. The patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, loco-regional radiation therapy, but no endocrine treatment.

Results: During the follow-up period the number of patients with pure bone metastases was 35 in the control group and 31 in the pamidronate group.