Clinical significance of bone scintigraphy for early detection of bone metastasis from breast cancer

Forty four patients, presenting metastasis only to bone from a primary breast cancer previously undergone mastectomy from 1975 to 1985 at Kinki University Hospital, were investigated for the purpose of early detection of bone metastasis. Clinical follow up and bone scintigraphy at regular interval were the most important to detect the early phase of bone metastasis. The patients with early phase of bone metastasis, detected by regular scintigraphy in every 6 months, had the frequent metastatic lesions in rib and sternum as well as lumbar. These metastatic lesions could not be found by X-ray examination but were confirmed by aspiration cytology. Among the tumor markers, Al-p and LDH, rather than CEA and Ca, were more useful for the diagnosis of early phase of bone metastasis. (author)