Objective:
We report two cases of atypical femoral fracture (AFF) in
patients with cancer.
Patients:
Two patients, a 53-year-old woman with breast cancer and a
77-year-old man with prostate cancer, could not walk after being injured in a fall. They
used bone-modifying agents (BMA) for the prevention of bone metastasis for three and four
years, respectively.
Results:
Intramedullary nails were placed to fix the femoral fractures in
each patient. Neither of them had pathological metastatic femoral fractures based on
fracture site specimens; however, severe suppression of bone turnover at the fracture site
was suspected. Both patients could ambulate with a T-cane and were free of hip pain after
surgery. Radiographs showed no callus formation at the fracture site.
Conclusion:
Based on the two cases of AFF in patients with cancer related to
BMA use, we should consider that the incidence of AFF may be associated with long-term BMA
use.
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