Metastatic bone disease: Updates in pathogenesis knowledge and pharmacological options

Bone is one of the most common sites of cancer metastasis. At postmortem examination, most patients dying of cancer show evidence of metastatic bone disease (MBD). MBD is a major contributor to the deterioration of the quality of life of patients with cancer, especially those with prolonged survival (breast and prostate cancer) due to advances in cancer treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated significant advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis and microenvironment changes in MBD, leading to discovering new therapeutic targets and positively modifying the prognosis of this population. The latest efforts are directed to prevent and predict cancer-related skeletal events that worsen the survival of cancer patients. This article aims to review current evidence regarding the pathological bases of MBD and advances in pharmacological targets to treat and prevent this condition.