A team of Israeli researchers has expressed concern that surgical scars may be a particularly favorable environment for the development of difficult-to-treat extra­med­ul­lary disease in multiple myeloma patients.

Extramedullary disease occurs when myeloma cells form tumors outside of a patient’s bones.

The Israeli researchers also suggest that novel anti-myeloma therapies –such as thalidomide (Thalomid), Revlimid (lenalidomide), or Velcade (bortezomib) – and perhaps stem cell transplantation may foster the de­vel­op­ment of extra­med­ul­lary disease in scar tissue.

The researchers describe their concerns in a recent journal article.  In …