Background: Osteopenia is a common and sometimes disabling consequence of the treatment of common neoplastic diseases, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoma in children. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the preventing effects of alendronate on steroid-induced osteopenia in children with ALL and non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 30 children with ALL and NHL were purposefully selected. All patients received the same induction chemotherapy protocol. Then they were randomly divided into two matched groups. All of them received equivalent supplement of 400 IU/d vitamin D and 30-40mg/kg/d calcium. The patients of the case group received 35mg/week alendronate for 6 months as well. Lumbar spine and whole body bone densitometry were performd before and after intervention and Z score was calculated for all patients.  

Results: The mean age of the studied population was 6.11(±3.36) years and 15 of the children (50%) were male. There was no statistically significant difference in lumbar spine and whole body bone densitometry and Z score before and after intervention between the two groups (p>0.05). The improvement of bone densitometry and Z score were seen in both groups after intervention which was more in the case group but it was not statistically significant (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Administration of 35 mg/week alendronate for 6 months does not cause significant improvements in bone densitometry variables in children with ALL and NHL.