[hopeful27]

Can bone lesions heal?

by hopeful27 on Thu May 15, 2014 8:33 am

I have read differing opinions ... can lesions be healed? Or can patients just take bone strengtheners for so long?

Thanks.

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Can bone lesions heal?

by Nancy Shamanna on Thu May 15, 2014 8:45 am

It's beyond opinion actually, X-rays (and other scans I am sure) show where healing has occurred in bones, if it has. My skeletal surveys have shown some areas of bone healing over the last five years. I have had the maximum recommended lifetime amount of bisphosphonates already. I think you can take them longer if there is a medical reason such as ongoing myeloma treatments for active myeloma, but there are some risks of side effects which is why doctors are cautious about using bisphosphonates indefinitely.

I think that many patients have had even better results with bone healing!

[goldmine848]

Re: Can bone lesions heal?

by goldmine848 on Thu May 15, 2014 1:06 pm

You do hear different opinions. When I first visited my myeloma specialist he said flat out that the lesions never heal. At least one of the doctors who posts in this forum has said that they can heal, at least to a degree, if the disease is controlled. I had a PET/CT scan for a second time about 6 moths after VRD induction and Aredia treatment and the report noted signs of healing.