On Monday, Amgen released results from its Phase 3 clinical trial that compared denosumab with Zometa (zoledronic acid) in multiple myeloma patients and advanced cancer patients whose tumors have spread to the bone. The results indicated that denosumab delayed skeletal related events in this group of cancer patients.

Bone tumors often weaken and destroy the bone surrounding the tumor, resulting in serious complications that include bone fractures, spinal cord compression, the need for radiation, and the need for bone surgery. These complications are collectively named “skeletal related events,” …

At the recent twelfth annual International Myeloma Workshop (IMW), physicians discussed strategies for managing multiple myeloma symptoms. Their topics included deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially fatal blood clot in the body's large veins, and myeloma-induced bone disease, including "soft spots" and fractures.

DVT involves blood clot formation in the deep veins of the body, and if a clot dislodges, it may travel to other areas and block blood flow to vital organs. Researchers estimate that approximately 70 percent of all critical blockages of lung blood vessels originate from DVT in the …