Patients treated with intravenous bisphosphonates are at an increased risk of jaw or facial bone deterioration or infection, according to a study published online June 26 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Several recent studies have found an association between the use of intravenous bisphosphonates and osteonecrosis of the jaw or facial bones, a condition in which poor blood supply to the area leads to bone death or deterioration. Bisphosphonates are used to treat cancer-related bone lesions, elevated levels of calcium in the blood, or reduced bone density.
