Bone Drug Zoledronic Acid May Help Prevent Spread of Early Lung Cancer

Italian researchers have found that zoledronic acid, a drug being used to treat bone metastases in lung cancer patients, might actually be an effective therapy to prevent metastasis from occurring in the first place. They believe that the drug has the potential to have an anti-angiogenic effect on the lung cancer metastases, preventing the growths from acquiring the blood vessels that they need to survive. The experiment that they performed by administering zoledronic acid to advanced lung cancer patients showed a reduction in two particular markers of angiogenesis, revealing a likely connection between the drug and anti-angiogenic effects.

Having just studied the respiratory system and some of its related pathologies, I found this article very interesting. One of the largest complications with cancer (especially lung cancer) is its ability to spread throughout the body. So, if this treatment ends up truly preventing that, it could be huge. I believe this treatment could also have applications in treating many other diseases in their early stages.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110225082926.htm