BACKGROUNDBisphosphonates have been used to treat many bone diseases in clinic. Bisphosphonates have also been proven useful in the management of bone metastasis in patients with breast and prostate carcinoma as demonstrated in a number of trials in vitro and in vivo, but, it is little known that the effect of bisphosphonates on lung cancer, one of the most common bone metastatic malignant tumors. This study is to investigate the effect of several bisphosphonates on inhibiting proliferation of different lung cancer cell lines in vitro, and to validate whether this inhibitive effect is comprehensive or selective.

METHODSThe cytotoxic effect of bisphosphonates on lung cancer cells and human normal liver cells was determined by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay.

RESULTSAfter incubation of lung cancer cells with bisphosphonates for 72h, the proliferation was inhibited in different degrees. The inhibiting activity of medronate (MDP) was the lowest, while the activity of ibandronate and incadronate (YM175) was between MDP and alendronate. The effects of bisphosphonates on human normal liver cells were different. The toxicity of MDP, ibandronate and YM175 was low, while alendronate had high toxicity. The sensitivity of lung cancer cells to bisphosphonates was also different. The sensitivity of H446 and SPC-A1 was comparatively lower, while H460 and A549 were more sensitive.

CONCLUSIONSBisphosphonates can inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cells and human normal liver cells in different degrees. The inhibiting effect is associated with the kind and concentration of bisphosphonates, and also the kind of lung cancer cells.