Bone Quality Test (BQT) scores of fingernails in postmenopausal patients treated with adjuvant letrozole or tamoxifen for early breast cancer

Abstract

Background: The relationship between nail and bone may be measurable, thus making the fingernail a potentially valuable tool for assessing bone health for women receiving treatment for breast cancer. In the BIG 1-98 Fingernail Pilot Substudy, Bone Quality Test (BQT) scores of fingernails were measured at two assessment timepoints.

Methods: Thirteen eligible patients were enrolled into the substudy during their treatment with tamoxifen (four patients) or letrozole (nine patients). Two fingernails were tested and BQT scores averaged for two assessments six months apart.

Results: BQT scores collected six months later (second assessment) significantly decreased compared with those at first collection (p=0.007) regardless of treatment and prior fracture.

Conclusion: The reduction of BQT scores observed in the patients of our small exploratory study during exposure to bone-altering breast cancer treatments is an incentive for larger studies using this technique.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement: None of the authors have any conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1

Timing of first and second assessments within the 5-year treatment period of tamoxifen or letrozole for 13 eligible patients enrolled in the Fingernail Pilot Substudy * Patients who had a bone fracture prior to the first collection

Figure 2

Scatter plots of the BQT scores at the first collection and second collection, and differences in BQT scores between the two collections according to treatment and according to whether the patient had a prior bone fracture or not.