Replies to post #115090 on Biotech Values

[dewophile]

Given that bone scan is about bone remodeling, not presence of mets, the results are a wee bit odd - e.g. if it was shrinking the tumors wouldn't you expect a flare of activity at 6 weeks where the bone was healing

i don't think so. remodeling is by definition an increase in turnover and hence an increase in both osteoclast and osteoblast activity, even though the net effect is bone loss since each cycle of remodeling results in net loss of bone (resorption>formation). with treatment one would expect to see a decrease of markers of bone formation even though you are decreasing the rate of loss of bone (or increasing bone mass), since you slow down the rate of bone remodeling
at least this is what we see in postmenopausal patients, and i think it applies to other etiologies of bone loss like tumor invasion

[biomaven0]

drug probably has some activity

Forget the bone scans - just look at the plot of tumor shrinkage for people who have already had docetaxel. Those are pretty dramatic early results right there.

Peter