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According to a study published in the online version of the journal The Oncologist , a genetic variation that increases the risk of individuals whotake bisphosphonates, developing serious necrotic jaw bone lesions,has been identified by researchers at the Columbia UniversityCollege of Dental Medicine. Bisphosphonates are a common class of osteoclastic inhibitors thatwork by attaching to calcium in the bone and inhibitingosteoclasts, bone cells that disintegrate the bone's mineralstructure. The finding opens the door for a genetic screening testto determine which individuals can take these medications safely. At present, approximately 3 million women in the U.S. take oralbisphosphonates for the treatment or prevention of osteoporosis. Furthermore, each year, thousands of cancer patients are given intravenous bisphosphonates to prevent excesscalcium (hypercalcemia) from gathering in the blood and to controlthe spread of bone cancer . Lead researcher of the study, Athanasios I. Zavras, DMD, MS,DMSc,associate professor of Dentistry and Epidemiology and Director ofthe Division of Oral Epidemiology & Biostatistics at the ColumbiaUniversity College of Dental Medicine, explained: "These drugs have been widely used for years and are generallyconsidered safe and effective. But the popular literature and blogsare filled with stories of patients on prolonged bisphosphonatetherapy who were trying to control osteoporosis or hypercalcemiaonly to develop osteonecrosis of the jaw." Often, osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) results in painful anddifficult-to-treat bone lesions, which can ultimately result inentire jaw loss. Among individuals taking bisphosphonates, ONJusually occurs in those who go through invasive dental proceduresor those with dental disease. At present, figures on the incidence of ONJ in individuals takingoral bisphosphonates are unreliable. According to the AmericanCollege of Rheumatology, estimates vary from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in100,000 patients each year of exposure to the drug. Approximately5% to 10% of cancer patients taking intravenous bisphosphonates areaffected by ONJ. According to prior investigations, genetic factors play asignificant role in predisposing patients to ONJ. Dr. Zavras andhis team conducted genome-wide examination of 30 individuals whohave developed ONJ while taking bisphosponates and compared themwith several disease free individuals who used bisphosphonates. Results showed that individuals who has a small variation in theRBMS3 gene were 5.8 times more likely to develop ONJ thanindividuals without the variation. The researchers also identifiedsmall variations in two other genes that may contribute to ONJ risk- IGFBP7 and ABCC4. Dr. Zavras, explained: "Our ultimate goal is to develop a pharmacogenetic test thatpersonalizes risk assessment for ONJ, a test that you could give topeople before they start to use bisphosphonates. Those who are positive for this genetic variation would select someother treatment, while those who are negative could take thesemedications with little fear of developing ONJ." Dr. Zavras, continued: "At the moment, many women discontinue or avoid treatment forserious osteoporosis because they are afraid of losing their jawbones. There even are reports of dentists who have refused toperform certain invasive procedures in patients takingbisphosphonates. So there is a great need for a pharmacogeneticscreening test to determine which patients are really at risk forONJ." The researchers explain that additional studies are required inorder to determine if the RBMS3 gene variation is seen in otherracial groups, as the current investigation only examinedCaucasians. The study was supported by the National Institute of Dental andCraniofacial Research. Written by Grace Rattue Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Additional References Citations. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Kitchen Gas Burner , Shoe Storage Racks for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Stainless Steel Whistling Kettle.
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