Incidence of skeletal morbidity rates over time in patients with multiple myeloma-related bone disease as reported in randomized trials employing bone-modifying agents.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this review was to investigate if advances in bone-targeted therapies have decreased the incidence of skeletal morbidity rates over time in patients with multiple myeloma-related bone disease.


METHODS
A literature search was conducted over the OvidSP platform in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify Phase III results from bone-targeted therapy trials in patients with multiple myeloma. The skeletal morbidity rate was the end point of interest, and for each study, a mean year of enrollment ([start of enrollment + end of enrollment]/2) was calculated.


RESULTS
A total of eight study arms were identified, with only two placebo arms; therefore, a weighted linear regression was not feasible and only intervention treatment arms were analyzed. A statistically significant downward trend in the skeletal morbidity rate was observed in all intervention arms.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of skeletal morbidity rates has decreased significantly over time in patients with multiple myeloma.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada.
Michael
M
Poon
Liang
L
Zeng
Liying
L
Zhang
Janey
J
Hsiao
Erin
E
Wong
Henry
H
Lam
Gillian
G
Bedard
Edward
E
Chow
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009017:Morbidity; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents