Bisphosphonates' antitumor activity: An unravelled side of a multifaceted drug class

Bisphosphonates, especially nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (N-Bps), are widely used to preserve and improve bone health in patients with cancer because they inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. In addition to their effects on bone, preclinical evidence strongly suggests that N-BPs exert anticancer activity without the involvement of osteoclasts by interacting with macrophages, endothelial cells and tumor cells, and by stimulating the cytotoxicity of gamma delta T cells, a subset of human T cells. This review examines the current insights and fronts of ongoing preclinical research on N-BPs' antitumor activity. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.