Joint pain and falls among women with breast cancer on aromatase inhibitors.

This study wanted to find out if joint pain is associated with falling down in patients with breast cancer who were treated with aromatase inhibitors. The study found that the patients who reported having joint pain were more likely to have a fall than those who had no joint pain.

Aromatase inhibitors are medications which can treat certain types of breast cancer. A common side effect of taking aromatase inhibitors is having pain in the joints. In the general population, joint pain is associated with falls. However it is not known if joint pain as a result of treatment with aromatase inhibitors is associated with an increased risk of falls.

This study consisted of 667 patients. All these patients had breast cancer and were treated with an aromatase inhibitor. The patients were asked about their pain and if they had had any falls. They were followed for 24 months after treatment.

Overall, 35% of patients reported having a fall. The study found that patients who reported pain in their joints were twice as likely to have had a significant fall in the 24 months after treatment.

The study concluded that joint pain as a result of treatment with aromatase inhibitors in women with breast cancer is associated with a higher risk of falls.

This is a medium sized study. It confirms what is already known in the community.