potential value of serum osteocalcin in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Serum osteocalcin, a modern and sensitive marker of bone turnover, was measured in 60 female breast cancer patients and 8 healthy subjects as control. Patients were subdivided into 3 groups: The first group [group A] included postmastectomy patients in complete clinical remission, the second group [group B] involved those with visceral metastases or extraosseous metastases, while the third group [group C] represented those with bone metastases +/- extraosseous metastases. It was concluded that serum osteocalcin level increased in breast cancer patients with bone metastase, but decreased in those with visceral metastases. Also, it may be more important in evaluating bone metastases in breast cancer patients than serum alkaline phosphatase