War of skeleton defense: the protection of bone in the process of tumor treatment

Abstract Bone health and maintenance of integrity are essential aspects for cancer patients receiving comprehensive treatment. With the breakthrough in different cancer therapies, the number of long-term cancer survivors is rapidly expanding. At the same time, the bone health issues are gradually becoming more serious. This commentary aims to summarize the bone damage derived from tumor itself, cancer bone metastases and cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, immune therapy and to highlight strategies for protecting the skeleton.