SAKK 96/12 REDUSE: Less Frequent Denosumab Treatment Proven Effective for Patients with Bone Metastases
The Swiss Cancer Institute is pleased to announce the results of the phase III SAKK 96/12 REDUSE trial, presented by Prof. Dr. Roger von Moos at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.
The study addressed an important question for patients living with bone metastases from breast or prostate cancer. These patients are at risk of developing symptomatic skeletal events (SSEs), including bone fractures, the need for surgery or radiotherapy to the bone, and severe bone pain. To help prevent these complications, many patients receive denosumab, a bone-targeted therapy that is traditionally administered every four weeks.
While effective, long-term denosumab treatment can be burdensome for patients, requiring frequent hospital visits and carrying the risk of side effects such as hypocalcaemia and osteonecrosis of the jaw. In addition, the treatment represents a significant cost for healthcare systems.
The REDUSE trial investigated whether denosumab could be administered less frequently without compromising patient outcomes. Following an initial treatment period, patients were randomly assigned to receive denosumab either every four weeks or every twelve weeks.
A total of 1,380 patients participated in the study, making REDUSE one of the largest trials ever conducted in this setting. The results demonstrated that treatment every twelve weeks was non-inferior to the standard four-week schedule in preventing symptomatic skeletal events. At the same time, patients in the reduced-frequency treatment group experienced lower rates of treatment-related side effects, including hypocalcaemia and osteonecrosis of the jaw.
These findings are highly relevant for clinical practice. Less frequent treatment can reduce the burden on patients by decreasing the number of hospital visits while maintaining the same level of protection against skeletal complications. The results also support a more efficient use of healthcare resources through lower treatment-related costs.
Beyond its clinical impact, the REDUSE trial reflects a broader objective of the Swiss Cancer Institute: generating evidence that helps optimise cancer treatment for patients while contributing to a more sustainable healthcare system. Studies such as REDUSE demonstrate that treatment intensity can sometimes be safely reduced without compromising effectiveness, creating benefits for patients, healthcare providers, and payers alike.
The Swiss Cancer Institute would like to thank all participating patients, investigators, study teams, and collaborating centres whose commitment made this research possible. We also gratefully acknowledge the support of CSS, Helsana and prio.swiss, whose funding contributed significantly to the successful completion of this important study.
The full abstract presented at ASCO 2026 can be accessed here: