Postmenopausal women with breast cancer treated with aromatase inhibitors (AI) have a higher incidence of osteoporosis, fractures and other musculoskeletal symptoms, particularly pain and stiffness. B-ABLE is a clinical, prospective cohort study carried out in both Breast Cancer and Bone Metabolism Units of the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona. Currently, 780 postmenopausal Caucasian women with early breast cancer and candidates for adjuvant AI treatment were included and predicted to reach more than 1000 patients. The main objective of the study is to improve the life quality of women treated with AI. Cohort B-ABLE is designed to evaluate musculoskeletal events derived of using AI in breast cancer women. The project objectives are the analysis of the AI deleterious effect on bone microarchitecture and early determination of the risk of fragility fracture with DEXA, lumbar spine Rx, TBS and microindentation. Determination of physiological causes of the AI-related arthralgia by analyzing joint degradation markers, steroid hormone levels remaining in blood and functional magnetic resonance, before and after three months of AI treatment. The study results will help to decide the most appropriate treatment for each patient in order to minimize AI-related side effects and hence avoid discontinuation of adjuvant therapy treatment.
The main objective of the study is to improve the life quality of women treated with AI. Cohort B-ABLE is designed to evaluate musculoskeletal events derived of using AI in breast cancer women. The project objectives are the analysis of the AI deleterious effect on bone microarchitecture and early determination of the risk of fragility fracture with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), lumbar spine Rx, Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) and microindentation. Determination of physiological causes of the AI-related arthralgia by analyzing joint degradation markers, steroid hormone levels remaining in blood and functional magnetic resonance, before and after three months of AI treatment