Long-term use of denosumab and its association with skeletal-related events and osteonecrosis of the jaw

Data from a single-arm retrospective study among patients with breast cancer bone metastases being treated with denosumab suggest that long-term denosumab treatment may further prevent or postpone skeletal-related events (SREs), but at the cost of increased risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw. SREs were experienced by 11.1% of patients in the first year of treatment, 18.6% in the second, 21% in the third, and 35.1% in the fourth year and beyond. ONJ incidence was 0.9% in the first year, 6.2% in the second, 13.6% in the third, and 16.2% in subsequent years.