Routine use of pamidronate in NSCLC patients with bone metastasis: results from a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND No data on the tolerability and effects of pamidronate in non-small cell lung cancer patients with bone metastasis are available. We performed a retrospective analysis to evaluate the routine use of pamidronate in these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred and four patients with NSCLC were treated at our Day Hospital between May 2003 and February 2009. Forty-one (39.5%) presented with bone metastasis during the course of the disease. Thirty (73.2%) of these patients received pamidronate at a dose of 90 mg every four weeks. RESULTS The occurrence of bone metastasis was associated with a poor overall survival, but patients treated with pamidronate had a significantly better median overall survival than untreated patients (15.4 months vs. 2.1 months; p<0.001). Pamidronate was well tolerated and only grade 1 or 2 toxicities were registered. CONCLUSION The diagnosis of bone metastasis and the consequent routine administration of pamidronate have an impact on survival of NSCLC patients; this drug is a good candidate for routine use in haemato-oncological centres.