Denosumab for the treatment of osteoporosis and cancer-related conditions.

Osteoporotic fractures and adverse skeletal effects of malignancies are associated with high bone turnover. Denosumab is a potent inhibitor of bone resorption with a novel mechanism of action. It is administered as an infrequent subcutaneous injection with no restrictions relating to renal function. This review summarizes data on the efficacy and safety of denosumab that led to its approval for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, cancer treatment-induced bone loss, and skeletal complications of malignancies.