Bone metastases are infrequent in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer: analysis of their clinical and pathologic features.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the clinical and pathologic characteristics of patients with bone metastases identified at the time of newly diagnosed prostate carcinoma at biopsy.

METHODS:

From November 2002 to May 2004, 1587 consecutive patients had a pathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer and underwent conventional technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate scintigraphy of the entire body. The clinical and pathologic features of those patients with positive bone scan findings (group 1) were compared with those of a subcohort of 372 patients with negative bone scan findings performed at the same nuclear medicine department (group 2).

RESULTS:

A retrospective complete data collection was available for 1242 of 1587 patients. Bone metastases were found in 31 patients (2.5%). As expected, patients with skeletal metastases had a significantly greater mean serum total prostate-specific antigen level, and a Gleason sum of 8 or 9 was significantly more frequent in the pathologic findings of these subjects. Group 1 patients had a significantly greater prevalence of previous nonprostate primary neoplasms (chi-square 12.74, df = 1, P = 0.0004) and reported a greater prevalence of current use of H2 blockers for the treatment and prevention of gastroesophageal reflux disorders (chi-square 37.52, df = 1, P < 0.0001) than did group 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our data have confirmed that bone metastases are more frequent in patients with high prostate-specific antigen levels and poorly differentiated tumors at biopsy regardless of the patient's age. A history of previous nonprostate primary neoplasms and the use of H2 blockers seemed to be more prevalent in those patients with bone metastases at diagnosis.

• Authors: Andrea Salonia, Andrea Gallina, Tommaso Ciro Camerota, Maria Picchio, Massimo Freschi, Luigi F DaPozzo, Giorgio Guazzoni, Ferruccio Fazio, Patrizio Rigatti, Francesco Montorsi
• Journal: Urology (Urology) Vol. 68 Issue 2 Pg. 362-6 (Aug 2006) ISSN: 1527-9995 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 16904453 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Technetium Tc 99m Medronate

Topics

• Aged
• Bone Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, secondary)
• Humans
• Male
• Prostatic Neoplasms (pathology)
• Radionuclide Imaging
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Retrospective Studies
• Technetium Tc 99m Medronate