Denosumab has been shown to reduce androgen-deprivation-related bone loss in men

Twice-yearly intravenous infusion with denosumab increased bone density and prevented spinal fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

According to a study supported at Massachusetts General Hospital with funding from the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), denosumab works by targeting rank ligand, a protein that acts as the primary signal to promote bone removal. In many bone loss conditions, RANKL overwhelms the body’s natural defense against bone destruction. Denosumab mimicks the endogenous effects of osteoprotegerin, a cytokine, which can inhibit the production of osteoclasts.

The study report was published today in the print edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).