"The bone drug zoledronic acid Zometa considered a potentially promising weapon against breast cancer recurrence has flopped in a new study involving more than  patients.    Zometa did not appear to prevent breast cancer from returning or to boost diseasefree survival overall. British researchers presented the disappointing findings Thursday at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas.    As a whole the study is negative study author Dr. Robert Coleman a professor of medical oncology at the University of Sheffield in England said during a Thursday news conference on the findings. There is no overall difference in recurrence rates or survival rates between patients who got the bone drug and those who did not except in older patients defined as more than five years after menopause.    That was a possible bright spot in the results.    In that population there is a benefit Coleman said. The older women had a  percent improvement in recurrence and a  percent improvement in overall survival over the fiveyear followup compared to those who didnt get the drug.    There was tremendous hope that this drug approach would be a major leap forward Coleman noted. There have been other trials that suggest this is the case. In one previous study the use of the drug was linked with a  percent improvement in survival and lowered recurrence in younger women with breast cancer.    Other research has found that healthy women on bone drugs were less prone to develop breast cancer so experts were hoping the drugs had an antitumor effect.    Zometa marketed by Novartis AG is used to relieve pain when cancers have spread to the bone  in part by slowing bone erosion caused by the disease. It is given intravenously while other bisphosphonates such as Actonel Fosamax or Boniva can be taken orally.    In the trial known as AZURE Adjuvant Treatment with Zoledronic Acid in State IIIII Breast Cancer Coleman and his colleagues evaluated  breast cancer patients from  participating centers all with stage II or III cancers but no evidence of metastases cancer that has spread beyond the original site. About half received the bone drugs plus standard therapy half just got standard therapy.    The focus was on diseasefree survival. After five years about  women in each group either died or had recurrences.    When Colemans team looked at subgroups however they found the benefit among older women a finding they say warrants more study.    The younger patients are getting no benefit Coleman said. If anything they are doing a little bit worse.    In addition there were some troubling side effects among women taking Zometa including  cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw a severe bone disease that can result in death of the jawbone.    Dr. Sharon Giordano an associate professor of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center was not involved in the study but put it in perspective. Bisphosphonates have been used to treat osteoporosis as well as bone complications of breast cancer treatment she said.    The role of bisphosphonates in preventing cancer recurrence has been less clear she said noting that multiple studies have had conflicting findings.    As for the benefit found in postmenopausal women she said I would consider this hypothesisgenerating and not practicechanging.    Other studies underway may provide a clearer answer she said.    Since the current study was presented at a meeting its findings should be considered preliminary until published in a peerreviewed journal.    Said Coleman Zoledronic acid cannot be routinely recommended for prevention of cancer returning but it remains a very good drug for patients where the cancer has already spread to the bone.    Coleman disclosed receiving speaker fees from Novartis the researchers also received academic grant funding from the drug maker.    More information For more information on bisphosphonates visit U.S. Food and Drug Administration http SOURCES Robert Coleman M.D. professor medical oncology University of Sheffield England Charon Giordano M.D. associate professor breast medical oncology University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston Dec.   presentation San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Texas"