Vibration Therapy for Cancer-Related Bone Diseases

Abstract

Patients undergoing cancer treatments and/or suffering from metastatic bone lesions experience various skeletal-related events (SREs), substantially reducing functional independence and quality of life. Therefore, researchers are working towards developing new interventions by harnessing the bone’s innate anabolic response to mechanical stimulations. Whole body vibration (WBV) has recently gained interest due to its nature of being safe, effective, and easy to perform. In this review, we will summarize the most cutting-edge vibration studies of cancer models and bone-cancer cell interactions. We will also discuss various parameters, including age, vibration settings, and differences between bone sites, which may affect vibration efficacy. Studies have shown that WBV improves bone mineral density (BMD) and bone volume in patients and mice with cancer. WBV also reduces tumor burden and normalizes bone vasculature in mice. At the cellular level, vibration promotes interactions between bone cells and cancer cells, which reduce osteoclastogenesis and inhibit cancer metastatic potential. Hence, WBV could potentially serve as a new intervention or adjuvant treatment to attenuate cancer progression while preserving bone health.