This volume informs the reader about basic chemical and experimental aspects of the bisphosphonates, their application in neoplastic hypercalcemia, and the basic effects of these drugs in neoplastic osteolysis. Initial reports, which need confirmation by larger randomized studies, also deal with the long-term application and possibly favorable influence of bisphosphonates in metastatic bone disease. It is vital for medical oncologists and interested internists to keep abreast of recent information in this new area of clinical cancer research.