Study Suggests Denosumab May Treat TDT-Induced Osteoporosis

Former medical instructor Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum is a hematologist and oncologist with Regional Cancer Care Associates in New Jersey. Active in the professional community, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has won numerous awards for his work and maintains membership in such organizations as the American Society of Hematology.

As part of its efforts to prevent and further the treatment of various blood disorders, the American Society of Hematology promotes education, training, and research into conditions that affect the blood, bone marrow, and immune and other systems. Recently, the organization announced the results of a study on osteoporosis and transfusion-dependent thalassemia, or TDT, an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to produce fewer red blood cells and less hemoglobin than usual. 

Forty percent of people with TDT develop osteoporosis, a bone disease characterized by weak and porous bones that cause pain and fracture more easily than healthy bones. To treat these comorbidities, most physicians use intravenous bisphosphonate agents, like zoledronic acid.

However, people with osteoporosis and thalassemia often have high levels of RANKL, an osteoporosis regulator. To reduce these high levels, researchers in the study, published in the journal of the American Society of Hematology, tried using twice-yearly injections of intravenous denosumab. Patients who received denosumab experienced a 5.92 percent increase in lumbar bone density, compared to a 2.92 percent increase among patients who received placebo injections. Further, denosumab resulted in less bone mineral density loss in the wrist, increased femoral neck density, and reduced pain.

Although denosumab is approved by the FDA for reducing RANKL amounts, it is not an approved therapy for people with TDT-induced osteoporosis. Researchers also acknowledge that more studies are necessary to compare denosumab to bisphosphonates to determine whether denosumab is a viable new treatment option.

Causes of Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum, a dedicated hematologist and oncologist, holds board certifications in medical oncology, internal medicine, and hematology. A physician at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has been involved in dozens of research studies, including one on myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

A rare group of disorders, MDS is also called bone marrow failure disorder. The bone marrow of patients with this condition does not produce healthy blood cells. 

In healthy people, the bone marrow changes stem cells into red and white blood cells. These blood cells start out immature and develop over time. 

In people with MDS, the process is disrupted and the cells die in the bone marrow. Eventually, the number of immature cells in the bone marrow outnumber the healthy cells.

Scientists are unsure of the cause of MDS, but the disorder has been linked to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and exposure to certain chemicals. The condition is more common among men than women and in people over age 60. Researchers believe this may be because men have a greater chance of being exposed to chemicals in the workplace.

Since the cause of MDS is unknown, preventing the condition is not possible. Still, people can reduce their risk by limiting their exposure to radiation and industrial chemicals such as benzene. Not smoking also reduces the risk of MDS.

ASH Awards over $1 Million in Grant Funding

A respected, New Jersey-based physician, Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, has spent the past six years treating patients as a hematologist and oncologist with Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC. In an effort to remain apprised of developments in hematological medicine, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum maintains active membership with the American Society of Hematology (ASH).

In October 2018, ASH rolled out the next round of funding through its Bridge Grant Program. The organization disbursed a total $1.2 million in funding by selecting eight researchers to receive $150,000 a piece to continue their work in vital areas such as bone marrow transplant research and leukemia treatment relapses.

The ASH Bridge Grant Program was first established in 2013 to serve as temporary funding for projects that are in-between grant funding cycles and need resources to continue while pursuing further research dollars. In total, the program has given upwards of $15 million to 115 different investigators over the past five-plus years, and a majority of those projects (over 70 percent) went on to receive further funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 program.

To learn more about ASH Bridge Grants or to apply for the next round of funding, visit www.hematology.org/Awards.