Evaluation of follow-up bone scintigraphy for assessing the effects of hormone and chemotherapy of bone metastases from prostatic cancer

To assess the clinical usefulness of bone scintigraphy for the osseous metastases of prostatic cancer after treatment, we attempted the correlative studies on laboratory data (TAP, PAP, ALP, and LDH) and scintigraphy. In 77 patients with prostatic cancer, bone scintigraphies were performed with sup(99m)Tc-phosphorous compounds to detect bone metastases. In 34 cases (44 %) bone metastases were detected. In 21 patients out of them, we assessed the effects of hormone and chemotherapy for bone metastases using serial bone scintigraphy. In 19 cases (24.7 %) of the bone scintigraphy showed equivocal results. Of 21 patients with bone metastases, 15 patients showed improvement on scintigram after hormone or chemotherapy. In much improved group (5 patients) and moderately improved group (5 patients). TAP and PAP levels were low and stable. On the other hand, in slightly improved group (5 patients) which showed partially effective on scintigram after treatment, serum TAP and PAP level were unstable. Some cases in the group of which the 1st scintigrams showed normal were turned to positive on scintigram, while TAP, PAP, ALP and LDH level were not elevated. Therefore, follow-up bone scintigraphies have value in evaluating the disease extent in patients with prostatic carcinoma. (author)