The results of a large-scale clinical trial have revealed that the survival of older breast cancer patients can be extended with the use of the Novartis-manufactured bone drug Zometa, which seemingly does nothing to improve disease-free survival among the younger patients of the disease!

Going by the findings of a new study study, which researchers from Britain's Sheffield University presented at the European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress (EMCC) in Stockholm, it is basically the patients who are five years past their menopause that benefit from the bisphosphonate drug Zometa, which goes by the generic name `zoledronic acid.'

As per the elaboration put forth by the researchers, the key reason why Zometa largely benefits the older breast cancer patients is that women who have been through the menopause a notably lower level of reproductive hormones.

According to a comprehensive analysis of a five-year follow-up of the group of older patients - in a trial which included 3,360 women with early-stage breast cancer from 174 centres in Australia, Britain, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand -, the chances of the recurrence of the cancer dropped 26 percent after Zometa was administered, as did the risk of an early death.

Noting that the use of Zometa "appears very promising: for women who have low levels of female hormones - either because of age or specific treatments which induce menopause -, lead researcher Robert Coleman clearly noted that Zometa "is not a treatment for ever woman with breast cancer"!