alendronate sodium (brand name: Fosamax)
(uh-LEN-druh-nayt SO-dee-um)
A drug that builds bone strength. It works by increasing the activity of the cells that make new bone. It is used to treat osteoporosis. It is also being studied for:
- reducing the risk of bone pain caused by cancer that has spread to the bone
- treating hypercalcemia (when calcium levels in the blood are too high)
It belongs to the group of drugs called bisphosphonates. Aredia (chemical name: pamidronate) and Zometa (chemical name: zoledronic acid) are other bisphosphonates.
Read more in Breastcancer.org's section on Bone Health.
Audio contributed by: Shirley Jones