Antiresorptive agents in the management of bone metastatic disease: a multicenter mixed-methods study in Palestinian clinical practice.

BACKGROUND

Antiresorptive agents are recommended for patients with bone metastatic disease in order to treat hypercalcemia of malignancy, to reduce skeletal-related events, and to alleviate bone pain. This study was conducted to describe prescribing practices for antiresorptive agents among patients with metastatic bone disease within the Palestinian healthcare system.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter, mixed-method study that combined a retrospective analysis of prescription data for antiresorptive agents in patients with metastatic bone disease with a cross-sectional survey of the views and opinions of oncologists and orthopedists practicing within the Palestinian healthcare system regarding the benefits and risks associated with these agents.

RESULTS

In this study, 239 patients with metastatic bone disease were included. The median age of the patients was 61.0 [52.0-69.0] years, the median duration of cancer was 3.0 [1.0-6.0] years, and the median duration of bone metastatic disease was 1.0 [1.0-3.0] years. Of these patients, 139 (58.2%) received antiresorptive agents. Patients prescribed antiresorptive agents were more likely to experience hypoglycemia (p-value = 0.005) compared to those not receiving these agents. The duration of antiresorptive agent use was positively associated with the duration of cancer (Spearman's rho = 0.38, p-value < 0.001) and with the duration of bone metastatic disease (Spearman's rho = 0.45, p-value < 0.001). Among the surveyed oncologists and orthopedists, 40% reported that prescribing antiresorptive agents for patients with bone metastatic disease was routine practice, while 60% indicated that they would recommend antiresorptive agents even if the patient experienced minimal or no pain. Moreover, 70% of the oncologists and orthopedists preferred initiating treatment with zoledronic acid as the first-line antiresorptive agent for patients with bone metastases.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed significant variability in the prescribing patterns and dosing schedules of antiresorptive agents, highlighting the need to adopt standardized, evidence-based protocols to enhance patient outcomes and optimize resource allocation in managing bone metastatic disease. Furthermore, future research should focus on evaluating patient-centered outcomes, long-term safety profiles, and the impact of educational and regulatory changes on practice patterns.