Orlando, FL and North Hollywood, CA, December 11, 2006 Researchers with the International Myeloma Foundation's Bank On A Cure (BOAC), the world's first repository of DNA samples created to advance the understanding of myeloma, today presented data identifying genetic pathways that may explain why some patients suffer from blood clots when undergoing treatment with thalidomide for multiple myeloma. The pathways may shed new light on individual differences in the response to cancer and its treatment, and may lead to the development of screenings and tailored interventions to prevent these side effects. The data were presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH)1.
Thalidomide (Thalomid from the Celgene Corporation in the U.S.) is a widely prescribed treatment for multiple myeloma that has been shown to extend and improve the quality of life for myeloma patients. However, an estimated 15% to 30% of patients treated with thalidomide suffer venous thromboembolisms (VTEs), blood clots, as a major complication. The BOAC team looked at genetic differences between patients who suffered from blood clots and those who remained event-free, and identified four gene clusters associated with the VTEs, as well as the specific changes within the genes, single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs, that can be used as markers to predict which patients are most likely to experience blood clots.
"We identified genes involved with drug metabolism, DNA repair and inflammation as differentiating factors predictive for which patients are more likely to experience VTEs," said Gareth Morgan, M.D., of the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, and co-director of BOAC. "It is important to note that we did not find genes involved with the blood coagulation cascade as a differentiating risk factor for the blood clots, as might have been expected. These findings will help us better understand the mechanisms that cause this problem."
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Contact: Stephen Gendel
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BioCom Partners
11-Dec-2006