Study Identifies Gene That Raises the Risk of OsteoNecrosis of the Jaw
January 27, 2012 -- Researchers at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine have identified a genetic variation that raises the risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) in patients who take bisphosphonates (Oncologist, January 20, 2012).
The discovery paves the way for a genetic screening test to determine who can safely take these drugs, according to the researchers.
Oral bisphosphonates are currently taken by some 3 million women in the U.S. for preventing or treating osteoporosis. In addition, intravenous bisphosphonates are given to thousands of cancer patients each year to control the spread of bone cancer and prevent excess calcium from accumulating in the blood.
"These drugs have been widely used for years and are generally considered safe and effective," stated lead study author Athanasios Zavras, DMD, DMSc, an associate professor of dentistry and epidemiology at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, in a press release. "But the popular literature and blogs are filled with stories of patients on prolonged bisphosphonate therapy who were trying to control osteoporosis or hypercalcemia only to develop ONJ."
ONJ often leads to painful and hard-to-treat bone lesions, which can eventually lead to loss of the entire jaw, according to the researchers. Among people taking bisphosphonates, ONJ tends to occur in those with dental disease or those who undergo invasive dental procedures.
There are no reliable figures on the incidence of ONJ in patients taking oral bisphosphonates. Estimates range from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 100,000 patients for each year of exposure to the medication, according to the American College of Rheumatology. ONJ is more common among cancer patients taking the intravenous form of the drug, affecting about 5% to 10% of these individuals, Dr. Zavras noted.
Read the full article at drbicuspid.com