LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, February 25, 2009, the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR) will host a roundtable discussion bringing leading scientists in the field of cancer research together to discuss monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). The event is being cochaired by James R. Berenson, MD, who is Medical and Scientific Director at the IMBCR and Robert A. Kyle, MD, who is Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

The goal of this roundtable discussion is to develop a consensus statement to be published in a major medical journal related to all aspects regarding the evaluation, follow-up and treatment of patients at risk for MGUS and its associated bone loss and fracture.

Topics for discussion include: addressing important issues such as which patients should be screened and how often; specific types of work-ups for patients; diagnostic testing for evaluation of bone disease; treatment measures for patients with significant bone loss and fractures; and other potential studies to be conducted for this disease population.

The event will take place February 25th at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel just prior to the 12th Annual International Myeloma Workshop in Washington, D.C.

MGUS is a common condition in which a monoclonal paraprotein is detected in the blood and/or urine but these patients do not have a malignant disorder associated with the presence of this protein. More than 3% of individuals over 50 years of age and 5% of individuals over 70 have this condition. Studies show these individuals have an increased risk to develop cancers including myeloma and lymphoma with a very high risk of bone loss and fractures. There is no current consensus on the work-up, follow-up and treatment of patients with MGUS.

The Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research is a non-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. IMBCR is the only independent cancer research institute working to find improved treatment and ultimately a cure for multiple myeloma and other blood cancers. Drs. Berenson, Kyle and the IMBCR research team have been published in most major oncology journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, BLOOD, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Cancer, Clinical Cancer Research, Clinical Lymphoma and Myeloma, Nature, Oncogene and the British Journal of Haematology. www.imbcr.org

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James R. Berenson, MD

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SOURCE Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research