Today was the third day of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, and the morning was filled with oral presentations about important myeloma-related studies.  Most of the talks were about potential new anti-myeloma drugs.

This update summarizes the presentations about panobinostat (Farydak), obatoclax, Treanda (bendamustine), and MLN9708 (ixazomib), which are all being developed as potential multiple myeloma treat­ments.  In addi­tion, the update includes a recap of a presenta­tion about the safety of long-term bis­phos­pho­nate use.

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Results of a small Turkish study indicate that laser surgery may be a viable treatment option for cancer patients who experience bisphosphonate-related bone death in their jaws.

Specifically, the study authors found that patients who received laser surgery achieved higher rates of complete healing than patients who received conventional surgery. While the results are suggestive, the study was small and the difference in the rates was not considered significant.

According to Dr. Belir Atalay of Istanbul University in Turkey and lead author of the study, laser surgery may be a better treatment …

Results of a recent study indicate that a history of smoking, the use of the bisphosphonate Aredia, and five genetic variations may put multiple myeloma patients at an increased risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw, a rare but serious side effect of bisphosphonate treatment.  Several of the genes the study authors identified are involved in bone formation, osteoporosis, and wound healing.

The study authors noted that if their findings can be confirmed in larger studies, they could be used to tailor bisphosphonate treatment for patients carrying these genetic variations, thus decreasing …