Abstract

Background: Bisphosphonates are indicated in patients with hypercalcemia of malignancy or with skeletal metastases. Recent reports have described the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) related to bisphosphonate therapy. Other risk factors for ONJ include radiation therapy and oral procedures. These patients pose a difficult problem for clinicians, both in terms of diagnosis as well as management.
Case Report: We describe in this case report a patient with metastatic breast cancer who developed ONJ while treated with chemotherapy and bisphosphonates but without other risk factors.
Conclusions: With recent reports of ONJ in the literature it is important to keep this disease in mind particularly among patients treated with bisphosphonates and those with concomitant mucositis.

Keywords: osteonecrosis of the jaw, bisphosphonates, breast cancer metastatic