Re: Serum Phosphate testing and bone density screenings

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynn,

I've had my phosphorous tested for years now (since about the second

year of being on Gleevec) and it's usually just below the normal

range. When I drink Coke (I happen to drink the diet variety), I

can get it up to the normal range.

I also recently had a bone density test which showed that I'm at the

beginning stages of osteopenia. I'm only 36 so I guess I better

step up my calcium and vit D intake.

Take care,

Tracey

>

> Hi everyone!

>

> Has anyone had serum phosphate testings or bone density screenings,

> (even if you aren't 50+) since the information regarding Gleevec

has

> come to light? I'm referring to the article below. Just curious

> what your results have been. (If you've had the tests performed)

> Thanks! Lynn

>

> Are Hem/Onc's recomending these tests now? Has it been discussed

as

> a new protocol for CML?

>

> Cancer Drug Gleevec Can Interfere With Bone Growth

> By Ed Edelson

> HealthDay Reporter

> WEDNESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Gleevec, the drug that has

> brought life and hope to patients with some otherwise untreatable

> cancers , can interfere with bone formation, researchers have

found.

>

> It's a side effect, they say, that deserves careful watching but

> should not stop use of the medication.

>

> " This is a new type of side effect that we discovered in part

because

> some of our patents on Gleevec developed low levels of serum

> phosphate, a mineral important in bone synthesis and modeling, "

said

> Dr. Ellin Berman, a member of the leukemia service at Memorial

Sloan-

> Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She's also lead author

of a

> paper on the finding that appears in the May 11 issue of the New

> England Journal of Medicine.

>

> " In some patients it developed very quickly, " Berman said. " In

some

> patients, phosphate levels were very, very low. Then we brought in

> kidney specialists and then bone specialists. What we found was

> surprising. It had not been described before. "

>

> The patients were being treated for chronic myelogenous leukemia

> (CML), a blood cancer whose outlook has been transformed by

Gleevec.

> The drug has changed the potential life expectancy of CML patients

> from a few years to perhaps decades.

>

> The detection of the drug's effect on bone means patients being

> treated with Gleevec for either CML or intestinal cancers called

> gastrointestinal stromal tumors " have to be screened for

> abnormalities of bone, " Berman said. " What Gleevec appears to do

is

> inhibit bone synthesis and bone remodeling. "

>

> The new finding focused on just 16 patients who were found to have

> low serum phosphate levels, and its ultimate importance has yet to

be

> determined, Berman said. " This suggests that Gleevec may have long-

> term effects on bone, not bone marrow but bone structure itself, "

she

> said. " We are trying to put the entire picture together. Is

everyone

> on Gleevec at risk, or just some people? Do we need to look at the

> entire bone structure? "

>

> But doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering are continuing to use

> Gleevec -- with careful monitoring of bone structure and

> function. " Bone is a dynamic organ, which is constantly being made

> and remodeled, " Berman said.

>

> Dr. Marshall Lichtman, executive vice president of research and

> medical programs at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, called the

> Sloan-Kettering report " an important observation. It certainly

will

> be helpful for physicians caring for patients with CML. But what

we

> don't know yet are the implications of this over the long run. "

>

> Side effects such as the one reported now " are probably

predictable,

> because we are inhibiting enzymes in normal tissue as well as

> diseased tissue, " Lichtman said. " The remarkable thing is how well-

> tolerated this drug is, considering that it inhibits the action of

> critical enzymes. "

>

> Only mild side effects of Gleevec have been reported before, such

as

> gastrointestinal upset and slight protrusion of the eyes. While

the

> ultimate impact of the newly reported effect is unknown, " we have

to

> take steps to prevent any long-term significant bone disease, "

> Lichtman said.

>

> Berman said there may even be a positive side to the

> discovery. " Gleevec may have a role in disease where bone

synthesis

> and turnover need to be turned off, " she said. For example, it

could

> be helpful when cells from a cancer elsewhere in the body move

into a

> bone. Stopping bone synthesis could help control that problem, she

> said.

>

>

> SOURCES: Ellin Berman, M.D., member, leukemia service, Memorial

Sloan-

> Kettering Cancer Center, New York City; Marshall Lictman, M.D.,

> executive vice president, research and medical programs, Leukemia

and

> Lymphoma Society, White Plains, N.Y.; May 11, 2006, New England

> Journal of Medicine

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tracey!

Are the CML experts recommending bone strengthening drugs like Boniva

for CML patients...? Or is it a losing battle while we continue to

take Gleevec daily? If anyone knows information about this, I would

love it hear your news.

Thanks! Lynn

> >

> > Hi everyone!

> >

> > Has anyone had serum phosphate testings or bone density

screenings,

> > (even if you aren't 50+) since the information regarding Gleevec

> has

> > come to light? I'm referring to the article below. Just curious

> > what your results have been. (If you've had the tests performed)

> > Thanks! Lynn

> >

> > Are Hem/Onc's recomending these tests now? Has it been discussed

> as

> > a new protocol for CML?

> >

> > Cancer Drug Gleevec Can Interfere With Bone Growth

> > By Ed Edelson

> > HealthDay Reporter

> > WEDNESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Gleevec, the drug that has

> > brought life and hope to patients with some otherwise untreatable

> > cancers , can interfere with bone formation, researchers have

> found.

> >

> > It's a side effect, they say, that deserves careful watching but

> > should not stop use of the medication.

> >

> > " This is a new type of side effect that we discovered in part

> because

> > some of our patents on Gleevec developed low levels of serum

> > phosphate, a mineral important in bone synthesis and modeling, "

> said

> > Dr. Ellin Berman, a member of the leukemia service at Memorial

> Sloan-

> > Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She's also lead author

> of a

> > paper on the finding that appears in the May 11 issue of the New

> > England Journal of Medicine.

> >

> > " In some patients it developed very quickly, " Berman said. " In

> some

> > patients, phosphate levels were very, very low. Then we brought

in

> > kidney specialists and then bone specialists. What we found was

> > surprising. It had not been described before. "

> >

> > The patients were being treated for chronic myelogenous leukemia

> > (CML), a blood cancer whose outlook has been transformed by

> Gleevec.

> > The drug has changed the potential life expectancy of CML

patients

> > from a few years to perhaps decades.

> >

> > The detection of the drug's effect on bone means patients being

> > treated with Gleevec for either CML or intestinal cancers called

> > gastrointestinal stromal tumors " have to be screened for

> > abnormalities of bone, " Berman said. " What Gleevec appears to do

> is

> > inhibit bone synthesis and bone remodeling. "

> >

> > The new finding focused on just 16 patients who were found to

have

> > low serum phosphate levels, and its ultimate importance has yet

to

> be

> > determined, Berman said. " This suggests that Gleevec may have

long-

> > term effects on bone, not bone marrow but bone structure itself, "

> she

> > said. " We are trying to put the entire picture together. Is

> everyone

> > on Gleevec at risk, or just some people? Do we need to look at

the

> > entire bone structure? "

> >

> > But doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering are continuing to use

> > Gleevec -- with careful monitoring of bone structure and

> > function. " Bone is a dynamic organ, which is constantly being

made

> > and remodeled, " Berman said.

> >

> > Dr. Marshall Lichtman, executive vice president of research and

> > medical programs at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, called the

> > Sloan-Kettering report " an important observation. It certainly

> will

> > be helpful for physicians caring for patients with CML. But what

> we

> > don't know yet are the implications of this over the long run. "

> >

> > Side effects such as the one reported now " are probably

> predictable,

> > because we are inhibiting enzymes in normal tissue as well as

> > diseased tissue, " Lichtman said. " The remarkable thing is how

well-

> > tolerated this drug is, considering that it inhibits the action

of

> > critical enzymes. "

> >

> > Only mild side effects of Gleevec have been reported before, such

> as

> > gastrointestinal upset and slight protrusion of the eyes. While

> the

> > ultimate impact of the newly reported effect is unknown, " we have

> to

> > take steps to prevent any long-term significant bone disease, "

> > Lichtman said.

> >

> > Berman said there may even be a positive side to the

> > discovery. " Gleevec may have a role in disease where bone

> synthesis

> > and turnover need to be turned off, " she said. For example, it

> could

> > be helpful when cells from a cancer elsewhere in the body move

> into a

> > bone. Stopping bone synthesis could help control that problem,

she

> > said.

> >

> >

> > SOURCES: Ellin Berman, M.D., member, leukemia service, Memorial

> Sloan-

> > Kettering Cancer Center, New York City; Marshall Lictman, M.D.,

> > executive vice president, research and medical programs, Leukemia

> and

> > Lymphoma Society, White Plains, N.Y.; May 11, 2006, New England

> > Journal of Medicine

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynn,

I haven't heard anything regarding bone strengthing drugs, that's a

great question though. I hope someone who sees one of the experts

will ask and report back.

I have heard that regular walking will increase bone density so try

to get those running shoes on and go for a spin. I've been doing

lots of walking this summer and have actually learned to enjoy it.

It's now a routine.

Take care,

Tracey

> > >

> > > Hi everyone!

> > >

> > > Has anyone had serum phosphate testings or bone density

> screenings,

> > > (even if you aren't 50+) since the information regarding

Gleevec

> > has

> > > come to light? I'm referring to the article below. Just

curious

> > > what your results have been. (If you've had the tests

performed)

> > > Thanks! Lynn

> > >

> > > Are Hem/Onc's recomending these tests now? Has it been

discussed

> > as

> > > a new protocol for CML?

> > >

> > > Cancer Drug Gleevec Can Interfere With Bone Growth

> > > By Ed Edelson

> > > HealthDay Reporter

> > > WEDNESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Gleevec, the drug that

has

> > > brought life and hope to patients with some otherwise

untreatable

> > > cancers , can interfere with bone formation, researchers have

> > found.

> > >

> > > It's a side effect, they say, that deserves careful watching

but

> > > should not stop use of the medication.

> > >

> > > " This is a new type of side effect that we discovered in part

> > because

> > > some of our patents on Gleevec developed low levels of serum

> > > phosphate, a mineral important in bone synthesis and

modeling, "

> > said

> > > Dr. Ellin Berman, a member of the leukemia service at Memorial

> > Sloan-

> > > Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She's also lead

author

> > of a

> > > paper on the finding that appears in the May 11 issue of the

New

> > > England Journal of Medicine.

> > >

> > > " In some patients it developed very quickly, " Berman said. " In

> > some

> > > patients, phosphate levels were very, very low. Then we

brought

> in

> > > kidney specialists and then bone specialists. What we found

was

> > > surprising. It had not been described before. "

> > >

> > > The patients were being treated for chronic myelogenous

leukemia

> > > (CML), a blood cancer whose outlook has been transformed by

> > Gleevec.

> > > The drug has changed the potential life expectancy of CML

> patients

> > > from a few years to perhaps decades.

> > >

> > > The detection of the drug's effect on bone means patients

being

> > > treated with Gleevec for either CML or intestinal cancers

called

> > > gastrointestinal stromal tumors " have to be screened for

> > > abnormalities of bone, " Berman said. " What Gleevec appears to

do

> > is

> > > inhibit bone synthesis and bone remodeling. "

> > >

> > > The new finding focused on just 16 patients who were found to

> have

> > > low serum phosphate levels, and its ultimate importance has

yet

> to

> > be

> > > determined, Berman said. " This suggests that Gleevec may have

> long-

> > > term effects on bone, not bone marrow but bone structure

itself, "

> > she

> > > said. " We are trying to put the entire picture together. Is

> > everyone

> > > on Gleevec at risk, or just some people? Do we need to look at

> the

> > > entire bone structure? "

> > >

> > > But doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering are continuing to use

> > > Gleevec -- with careful monitoring of bone structure and

> > > function. " Bone is a dynamic organ, which is constantly being

> made

> > > and remodeled, " Berman said.

> > >

> > > Dr. Marshall Lichtman, executive vice president of research

and

> > > medical programs at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, called

the

> > > Sloan-Kettering report " an important observation. It certainly

> > will

> > > be helpful for physicians caring for patients with CML. But

what

> > we

> > > don't know yet are the implications of this over the long run. "

> > >

> > > Side effects such as the one reported now " are probably

> > predictable,

> > > because we are inhibiting enzymes in normal tissue as well as

> > > diseased tissue, " Lichtman said. " The remarkable thing is how

> well-

> > > tolerated this drug is, considering that it inhibits the

action

> of

> > > critical enzymes. "

> > >

> > > Only mild side effects of Gleevec have been reported before,

such

> > as

> > > gastrointestinal upset and slight protrusion of the eyes.

While

> > the

> > > ultimate impact of the newly reported effect is unknown, " we

have

> > to

> > > take steps to prevent any long-term significant bone disease, "

> > > Lichtman said.

> > >

> > > Berman said there may even be a positive side to the

> > > discovery. " Gleevec may have a role in disease where bone

> > synthesis

> > > and turnover need to be turned off, " she said. For example, it

> > could

> > > be helpful when cells from a cancer elsewhere in the body move

> > into a

> > > bone. Stopping bone synthesis could help control that problem,

> she

> > > said.

> > >

> > >

> > > SOURCES: Ellin Berman, M.D., member, leukemia service,

Memorial

> > Sloan-

> > > Kettering Cancer Center, New York City; Marshall Lictman,

M.D.,

> > > executive vice president, research and medical programs,

Leukemia

> > and

> > > Lymphoma Society, White Plains, N.Y.; May 11, 2006, New

England

> > > Journal of Medicine

> > >

> >

>