Bone-targeted agent treatment patterns and the impact of bone metastases on patients with advanced breast cancer in the United States.

AbstractObjective: Bone metastases are common among patients with advanced breast cancer, putting patients at increased risk of skeletal-related events (SREs). This study described impact of bone metastases, utilization of bone-targeted agents (BTAs) and physicians’ decision processes for BTA use in advanced breast cancer.Methods: Data were collected using the Adelphi Breast Cancer Disease-Specific Programme in the United States. Physicians completed a detailed record for eligible patients (women ≥18 years, with stage IIIB–IV breast cancer).Results: Data available from 1276 patients with advanced breast cancer included 485 (38%) with bone metastases. Most (80%) reported pain at bone metastasis diagnosis; of those reporting pain, 55% reported moderate to severe pain. Among patients with bone metastasis, 69% received a BTA. Reasons for initiating BTAs were bone pain (32%) and an estimated high risk of SREs (25%). Reasons for not treating with BTAs were very recent diagnosis (37%), poor Karnofsky performance...