Detecting bone loss in early breast cancer survivors: The Arm-DXA method.

Abstract

e12066 Background: Breast cancer survivors who are on adjunct therapy with Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) or premature menopause due to chemotherapy are known to have an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture. Being at high risk for osteoporosis, these patients should be screened using with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure bone mineral density (BMD) according to national guidelines. This study screened the population of patients with early Breast cancer utilizing the Arm-DXA as a user friendly and efficient method. Methods: All Breast cancer patients at the Tolna County Cancer Center, Szekszárd who are diagnosis of early invasive breast cancer were scanned using Arm-DXA during their regular visit to the center. Cancer patients under hormone therapy were scanned annually. Patients who have metastatic disease or known to have osteoporosis were excluded from the study. A total of 431 patients were subject of an arm-DEXA scan for BMD during the period February 2015 to September 2016. Results: Out of the 431 patients, normal T score >-1,5 detected in 223 patients (51,7%), clinically significant osteopenia (CSO) T score -1,5- -2,5 detected in 129 patients (29,9%), and osteoporosis T score < -2,5 detected in 79 patients (18,3%). For the 224 Patients who were under hormone therapy or/and chemotherapy about 29,9% (n: 67) had a CSO, and 20,5% (n:46) had osteoporosis. Conclusions: This study highlights the fact that osteoporosis is under-detected in early breast cancer survivors who are on or after hormone and chemotherapy. About 48% of early breast cancer survivors found to have osteoporosis or clinically significant osteopenia in our study. Our BMD test results shows that half the 224 patients who were under hormone therapy need to take treatment (zoledronic -acid or denosumab ) to prevent bone fracture.