A Comprehensive Review of Interventional Clinical Trials in Patients with Bone Metastases

Abstract

Bone metastasis is one of the most important factors associated with poor prognosis for patients with prostate, breast, thyroid, and lung cancer. In the past two decades, 651 clinical trials, including 554 interventional trials, were being registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and pharma.id.informa.com to combat bone metastases from different perspectives. In this review, we comprehensively analyzed, regrouped, and discussed all the interventional trials on bone metastases. Clinical trials were re-grouped into bone-targeting agents, radiotherapy, small molecule targeted therapy, combination therapy, and others, based on the different mechanisms of action including modifying the bone microenvironment and preventing the growth of cancer cells. We also discussed the potential strategies that might improve overall survival and progression-free survival of patients with bone metastases in the future.

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Keywords:

• bone metastases
• clinical trials
• interventional, ClinicalTrials.gov, pharma.id.informa.com

Summary

Bone is among the sites with the most frequent metastases, especially from breast, prostate, and lung cancer. SREs are one of the major issues for patients with bone metastases, leading to serious negative consequences for those patients. Bone metastasis treatment is mainly aimed at relief of SREs and preventing disease progression. In this review, we analyzed the clinical studies related to bone metastases downloaded from ClinicalTrials.gov and pharma.id.informa.com. We found that limited new treatment options finally went to the final steps of clinical trials and the number of clinical trials for bone metastases did not increase too much in the past decade and even started to decrease in recent years. Our comprehensive analysis provides valuable information regarding the current treatments of bone metastases which may be helpful to investigators and also industry for future decisions. We also provided many advanced technologies for the future study of the molecular mechanism and future development of treatment options in patients with bone metastatic cancer.

Data Sharing Statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis, and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising, or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript.