title: Bone-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase Levels among Patients with Multiple Myeloma Receiving Various Therapy Options.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the impact of the different therapy regimens used in multiple myeloma (MM) on bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirteen patients with MM were included in the study. Patients were grouped according to the regimens they received, as follows: group 1, melphalan and prednisolone (MP); group 2, vincristine, adriablastin, and dexamethasone (VAD); group 3, thalidomide plus dexamethasone; and group 4, bortezomib plus dexamethasone. BALP levels were measured before treatment and at the third and sixth months of treatment. A fifth group consisted of patients in the post-treatment remission period at study entry (no-treatment group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BALP levels at the third and sixth months of the treatment were significantly higher than the pre-treatment levels in the bortezomib and the no-treatment groups, whereas no significant difference was observed in the MP, VAD, and thalidomide groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering that BALP is a surrogate marker of bone formation, our study suggests that bortezomib more efficiently leads to the improvement of bone disease in myeloma than other treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, İstanbul, Turkey. E-ma-il: drgvn@mynet.com.
authors.forename: Güven
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Çetin
authors.forename: Ahmet Emre
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Eşkazan
authors.forename: M Cem
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ar
authors.forename: Şeniz Öngören
authors.initials: ŞÖ
authors.lastname: Aydın
authors.forename: Burhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferhanoğlu
authors.forename: Teoman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soysal
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Başlar
authors.forename: Yıldız
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aydın