For the millions of women who are by now taking medications to help get better bone density, there may be more than one advantage. New results from a landmark women’s health research raised the exciting option that bone-building medications such as Actonel and Fosamax may help decrease the danger or even prevent breast cancer.The women who were already using these medications when the study began were just about one-third less likely to expand invasive breast cancer over the next seven years when compared to the women who were not taking these pills, doctors reported on Thursday. Though, the research alone is not sufficient to establish that these drugs, called bisphosphonates, prevent breast cancer. More perfect studies should be able to give us a clearer result in a year or two.

This information seriously amplifies the expectant buzz that started last year when the researchers reported that bisphosphonates reduced the chances that cancer would relapse in women that have by now been treated for the disease.

Dr. Peter Ravdin, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, mentioned that now they are looking at this in the general population – healthy women who have never had breast cancer. And it looks like it’s defensive in those women as well.” Ravdin help review the research for the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, where the answers were reported on Thursday, said that is very hopeful. Millions of women are already taking bisphosphonates for bone-thinning osteoporosis, or to help put off fractures from cancer that has spread into their bones.

The medications range from $100 dollars for a three-month supply of the general versions of Merck & Co. Inc.’s Fosamax pills to as much as $1,200 dollars for an infusion of Novartis AG’s Zometa, which is given every six months to treat osteoporosis. Other brands that have these kinds of medications are Warner Chilcott PLC’s Actonel and GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s Boniva.