N-terminal telopeptide (NTX) as a prognostic and predictive Marker of Bone Metastases in Breast Cancer patients after receiving bone supporting agents

Background: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC), 60% of them will eventually develop bone metastases during their course of disease, N-terminal telopeptide is a telopeptide that can be used as a biomarker to measure the rate of bone turnover. Elevated levels of NTX are common in patients with osteolytic bone lesions, which is obviously in breast cancer. The aim of this study to demonstrate the affection of zoledronic acid and denosumab on serum NTX and on skeletal progression free survival.
Methods: The participants in this study were 81 bone metastatic breast cancer. Serum NTX levels as bone turnover marker was measured using the ELISA method baseline at start of the study and after 6 months of bone supporting agents receiving and compare between them.
Results: Significant reduction of serum NTX was observed in denosumab and zoledronic acid treatment at 6 months post treatment evaluation. According to skeletal PFS (progression free survival), a significantly relation present between NTX and PFS in both.
Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that decrease (at 6 months) of bone marker after introduction of zoledronic acid or denosumab is strongly prognostic.