Increased primary breast tumor expression of CD73 is associated with development of bone metastases and is a potential biomarker for adjuvant bisphosphonate use

Researchers investigated whether CD73 expression in primary tumors predicts bone metastasis in postmenopausal women with early-stage, high-risk breast cancer enrolled in the AZURE trial. High CD73 levels were linked to poorer overall survival and a higher risk of bone metastases in patients who did not receive zoledronic acid, but this association was not seen in those treated with the drug. These results suggest that CD73 expression could serve as a biomarker to identify postmenopausal patients with early-stage, high-risk breast cancer who are most likely to benefit from adjuvant zoledronic acid therapy.