The use of zoledronic acid in Japanese men with stage D2 prostate cancer.

Zoledronic acid (ZOL) is a new generation bisphosphonate with improved efficacy benefits over pamidronate in preclinical testing. In addition, ZOL is superior to pamidronate in the treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy. ZOL is also the first bisphosphonate to demonstrate efficacy in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors other than breast cancer, such as prostate cancer. In this study, we investigated ZOL treatment in 17 Japanese men with advanced prostate cancer, treated at the Aichi Medical University Hospital between August 2006 and November 2007. The 17 patients had biopsy-confirmed prostate cancer and were found to harbor bone metastasis upon bone scintigraphy. ZOL was administered intravenously at a dose of 4 mg over 15 min every 4 weeks. ZOL was well tolerated with mild renal dysfunction in 2 patients (11.8%), while 1 patient (5.8%) developed skin rash. No significant side effects were observed. Subjective improvement in bone pain was reported in 14 patients (32.4%). ZOL, therefore, is a safe and effective drug that remains an important component of the urologist's armamentarium against advanced prostate cancer.