Joe Arringtion Cancer Center

BSE Card Download | Contact Info | Breast Health Info | Mammography |
Osteoporosis | Services Offered | Understanding Breast Cancer

JACC
4101 22nd Place
Lubbock, Texas 79410

phone: 806-725-8000
fax: 806-723-6412

General Information:
info@joearrington.org

Osteoporisis

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects 20-25 million Americans, and by 2020, it is expected to affect 50 million of our population. Osteoporosis is known as a silent disease because it is asymptomatic until a fracture occurs. As people grow older, they experience some degree of bone loss. The difference between bone loss due to the natural aging process and bone loss due to other factors such as postmenopausal hormone depletion can be quite significant. After approximately age 30, we all lose bone at the rate of 0.5-1.0% per year. Around the time of menopause, the rate of loss can be as much as 3-5% per year with a total upwards of 20% of bony skeleton loss in a matter of four to five years. Obviously, such a rate of loss can lead to significant reduction in bone strength and a high incidence of serious fractures. It has been estimated that yearly over a million and a half women in the United States will suffer bony fractures related to postmenopausal osteoporosis. The most common fractures occur in the spine, wrist and hip. For women with significant osteoporosis, crushed fractures of the spine may occur during normal daily activities such as lifting, bending, getting up from a chair, coughing, or even aggressive hugging. Spinal fractures can be quite painful and of course lead to deformity of the spine and a significant loss of height. Hip fractures are a somewhat less common event in postmenopausal osteoporosis, but they certainly are the most critical from the standpoint of survivability and dramatic lifestyle changes. Approximately 24% of hip fracture subjects do not survive over a year. Another third never leave the nursing home or rehabilitation facility, and only a third ever regain full functional capabilities. Osteoporosis can be a common problem for survivors of several types of cancers including lymphoma, leukemia, breast and prostate.

Cancer Related Contributing Factors

Factors contributing to bone loss in Leukemia / Lymphoma

Involvement of bone marrow by cancer cells, which produces activators of bone breakdown, causes bone loss
Many treatment programs include cortisone-like drugs which cause bone loss

Factors contributing to bone loss after Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy for premenopausal women often results in early menopause
Estrogen replacement is generally omitted
Improved diagnosis and therapy results in prolonged survival and women are living longer in the post-menopausal state

Factors contributing to bone loss in Prostate Cancer

Involvement of bone by cancer cells
Treatment strategies frequently include reduction or blockade of testosterone effects.
Testosterone deficiency increases bone loss
Prostate cancer frequently affects older patients who may already have low bone mass

Osteopenia in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Improved survival of children with malignant diseases is, in part, due to the application of intensive, multimodality therapies including radiotherapy, surgery, glucocorticoids and cytotoxic agents. Such interventions have the potential to induce complex hormonal, metabolic and nutritional effects which may interfere with skeletal mass acquisition during childhood. Cancer survivors may therefore reach adulthood with diminished peak bone mass and be at increased risk for clinically significant osteoporosis later in their life.

Osteopenia is a prominent finding in young adults who are survivors of childhood cancers; it is likely that antineoplastic treatments during childhood and adolescence impede peak bone mass acquisition. Bone mineral density is lower than age and gender averages. Bone mineral density is especially decreased in cancer survivors with history of cranial irradiation.

We suggest that systematic attention to this potential complication is needed in order to identify what subgroups of children may require regular surveillance and what interventions are required for its prevention or treatment.

BSE Card Download \| Contact Info \| Breast Health Info \| Mammography \| Osteoporosis \| Services Offered \| Understanding Breast Cancer		JACC 4101 22nd Place Lubbock, Texas 79410 phone: 806-725-8000 fax: 806-723-6412 General Information: info@joearrington.org
Osteoporisis
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects 20-25 million Americans, and by 2020, it is expected to affect 50 million of our population. Osteoporosis is known as a silent disease because it is asymptomatic until a fracture occurs. As people grow older, they experience some degree of bone loss. The difference between bone loss due to the natural aging process and bone loss due to other factors such as postmenopausal hormone depletion can be quite significant. After approximately age 30, we all lose bone at the rate of 0.5-1.0% per year. Around the time of menopause, the rate of loss can be as much as 3-5% per year with a total upwards of 20% of bony skeleton loss in a matter of four to five years. Obviously, such a rate of loss can lead to significant reduction in bone strength and a high incidence of serious fractures. It has been estimated that yearly over a million and a half women in the United States will suffer bony fractures related to postmenopausal osteoporosis. The most common fractures occur in the spine, wrist and hip. For women with significant osteoporosis, crushed fractures of the spine may occur during normal daily activities such as lifting, bending, getting up from a chair, coughing, or even aggressive hugging. Spinal fractures can be quite painful and of course lead to deformity of the spine and a significant loss of height. Hip fractures are a somewhat less common event in postmenopausal osteoporosis, but they certainly are the most critical from the standpoint of survivability and dramatic lifestyle changes. Approximately 24% of hip fracture subjects do not survive over a year. Another third never leave the nursing home or rehabilitation facility, and only a third ever regain full functional capabilities. Osteoporosis can be a common problem for survivors of several types of cancers including lymphoma, leukemia, breast and prostate.
Cancer Related Contributing Factors
Factors contributing to bone loss in Leukemia / Lymphoma Involvement of bone marrow by cancer cells, which produces activators of bone breakdown, causes bone loss Many treatment programs include cortisone-like drugs which cause bone loss Factors contributing to bone loss after Breast Cancer Chemotherapy for premenopausal women often results in early menopause Estrogen replacement is generally omitted Improved diagnosis and therapy results in prolonged survival and women are living longer in the post-menopausal state Factors contributing to bone loss in Prostate Cancer Involvement of bone by cancer cells Treatment strategies frequently include reduction or blockade of testosterone effects. Testosterone deficiency increases bone loss Prostate cancer frequently affects older patients who may already have low bone mass Osteopenia in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer Improved survival of children with malignant diseases is, in part, due to the application of intensive, multimodality therapies including radiotherapy, surgery, glucocorticoids and cytotoxic agents. Such interventions have the potential to induce complex hormonal, metabolic and nutritional effects which may interfere with skeletal mass acquisition during childhood. Cancer survivors may therefore reach adulthood with diminished peak bone mass and be at increased risk for clinically significant osteoporosis later in their life. Osteopenia is a prominent finding in young adults who are survivors of childhood cancers; it is likely that antineoplastic treatments during childhood and adolescence impede peak bone mass acquisition. Bone mineral density is lower than age and gender averages. Bone mineral density is especially decreased in cancer survivors with history of cranial irradiation. We suggest that systematic attention to this potential complication is needed in order to identify what subgroups of children may require regular surveillance and what interventions are required for its prevention or treatment.