Prof Robert Coleman of Weston Park Hospital, University of Sheffield, UK, talks to ecancer about the highlights and implications for treatment from the main final analysis of the AZURE trial. This trial examined the use of adjuvant zoledronic acid (a bisphosphonate) to prevent metastases in the treatment of young women with breast cancer.

Prof Coleman explained that this final analysis shows that zoledronic acid prevents or reduces the risk of bone metastases, and stops recurrence in post-menopausal women.  However, interesting and different effects were observed in younger women.  Prof Coleman looks ahead to other future trials and to work being undertaken with the Oxford Early Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Groups, and the hopes of this treatment approach. With the AZURE trial showing meaningful improvements for a relatively well-tolerated and cheap intervention in certain patients, Prof Coleman speculates what this might mean for clinicians and patients.