ABSTRACT: Chemotherapy Causes Rapid Bone Loss in Women: Study [07/13/2001; Journal of Clinical Oncology] WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chemotherapy given to women with breast cancer causes their bone density to decline at a faster rate than previously known, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, researchers said on Thursday. Scientists led by Dr. Charles Shapiro at Ohio State University said they were surprised to find that 35 pre-menopausal women treated with chemotherapy experienced up to an 8% loss in bone density after 12 months of treatment. The median age of the women was 42. The bone loss in the patients treated with chemotherapy was so significant, the researchers said, that the study was halted to allow the women to seek care from their primary physician. ``We were surprised that (bone loss) occurred so early because other studies had begun to evaluate patients at 12 months'' after chemotherapy commenced, Shapiro told Reuters. ``An independent committee met, and they concluded that these 35 women have lost so much bone, 8%, in the spine that it was unethical in view of that to treat them with placebo,'' he said. The study appears in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.