The Shanghai Lung Cancer Bone Metastasis Summit Forum was held in Shanghai on August 7, 2010, which was the first academic conference on bone metastasis of lung cancer in China.

Professor Liao Meilin from the Lung Cancer Center of Shanghai Chest Hospital presided over the meeting, and Professor Zhang, the director of the Department of Internal Medicine of the Cancer Hospital affiliated to Sun Yat sen University in Guangzhou, Professor Lu Shun, the director of the Lung Cancer Center of Shanghai Chest Hospital, and Professor Wang Jie, the Department of Lung Cancer of Beijing Cancer Hospital, delivered keynote speeches.

The meeting arranged a wonderful interactive session of case discussion. Professor Zhi Xiuyi, director of the Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Capital Medical University, Professor Zhang Yiping, director of the Department of Oncology of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Professor Wang Zhehai, director of the Department of Oncology of Shandong Cancer Hospital, and Professor Chen Gongyan, director of the Department of Oncology of Heilongjiang Cancer Hospital, participated in the case discussion and expert comments.

The meeting focused on the comprehensive treatment of bone metastases from lung cancer, and highlighted several problems that need to be faced and solved urgently at present:

1.    Once the imaging diagnosis of bone metastasis is confirmed, the treatment related to bone metastasis must be started immediately, including the use of bisphosphonates to delay the occurrence of bone related events.

2.    Zoledronic acid can effectively prevent and treat bone related events caused by bone metastasis of lung cancer, and it is the only bisphosphonate approved by the US FDA for the treatment of bone metastasis of lung cancer.

3.    In addition to effectively inhibiting osteoclasts, bisphosphonates also have unique anti-tumor properties. The future development direction is likely to change the treatment strategies of tumor clinicians.

About 160 oncologists and pharmacists attended the meeting, which was a complete success.