This is pretty new from my oncologist who attended a symposium on the matter (11/21). I will go looking for this, as I have heard it before. Zometa is the only bone strengthening treatment mentioned, of the drugs in this class of bisphosphonates. It came up in a discussion with her on my tooth problem. Initially she just wanted me to quit Zometa, but I persisted so she looked into it.

Zometa and Reclast are both zoledronic acid, a biphosphonate, and both affect bone resorption. They have different dosing schedules: Zometa is given more frequently. My doc only mentioned Reclast during my primary cancer treatment with Femara, in the context of osteoporosis. Zometa seems to be the medication used for treatment of cancer that occurs in or has spread to the bones, and prevents damage to bones and fractures, from the cancer.

Although Clinical Trials Arena says that Zometa has "anticancer properties" it seems it does not actually stop a tumor, but instead treats the effects of lesions on bone. This is something I plan to ask my oncologist about, because I thought that by suppressing resorption, Zometa affected tumor growth. I cannot find any research that says this. Instead, studies are on Zometa preventing bone damage from cancer- but not treating the cancer itself.

That said, I distinctly remember reading- 5 years ago or more- that a combo of Femara (AI) and zoledronic acid eliminated the last cells of a breast cancer in a study. I will try to find that article. And ask my doc!

I haven't seen that either. I wonder if the person has it confused with Evista, which is a newer SERM-style drug? Or maybe Zometa as treatment for bone cancer?