RESEARCH - Osteoporosis-treating bisphosphonates linked to jawbone damage

[Guest guest]

Osteoporosis-treating bisphosphonates linked to jawbone damage

By Brink, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

September 22, 2008

Drugs to treat osteoporosis are not without possible side effects,

most notably a widely publicized condition in which jawbone tissue

dies.

Pun absolutely intended, Dr. B. Dodson explains, "

'Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw' is a mouthful. " His

expertise is another mouthful -- oral and maxillofacial surgery at

Massachusetts General Hospital. He's an expert on . . . let's just

call it BRONJ.

The problem has been linked to drugs called bisphosphonates, ranked

10th in U.S. sales among all drug categories, according to IMS Health,

which analyzes pharmaceutical and healthcare markets. Most cases come

after someone has been treated for cancer with potent, intravenous

forms of the drugs. About 1 in 10 cancer patients treated with IV

bisphosphonate develops the jaw problem.

*************************************************

Read the entire article here:

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-boneside22-2008sep22,0,5866165.stor\

y

--

Not an MD