Cancer patients who receive radiation during their treatment – and about half do -- may face a lesser-known challenge: bone loss.
The vital treatment for cancers of the head and neck, breast, cervix, prostate, and even eyes can harm the cells that keep bones strong.
But Duke University School of Medicine and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new strategy to protect bones during cancer treatment using a unique drug delivery system with tiny carriers. Researchers shielded bone-forming cells in mice after radiation by targeting a specific protein with a recently approved medication.
Their study published Nov. 29 in Science Translational Medicine could help tackle the common issue of radiation-induced bone loss that can leave patients prone to bone fractures years after becoming cancer-free.
“As more patients survive cancer, the focus isn’t just on the primary battle, but also ensuring a better quality of life beyond treatment,” said senior study author Colleen Wu, PhD, assistant professor in orthopaedic surgery, cell biology, and pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke University School of Medicine.