Bisphosphonates in oncology: rising stars or fallen heroes.

The introduction of bisphosphonates in oncology has dramatically changed the management of patients with metastatic bone disease. In this manuscript, we thoroughly scrutinize the available body of clinical trials supporting the use of bisphosphonates in this setting and review new and ongoing research. Additionally, we summarize the data showing the benefits of bisphosphonate use in the prevention of treatment-induced bone loss and the intriguing emerging evidence on the antitumor potential of some of these agents when used in the adjuvant setting. Finally, we address the need for a careful consideration of potential benefits of bisphosphonate therapy and the risk for osteonecrosis of the jaw, a recently recognized late-toxicity of their use.