Analysis of clinical features of metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow in forty-one patients / 肿瘤

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the clinical features of metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow. Methods: A total of forty-one cases with metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow were collected. The clinical manifestations including symptoms, laboratory examination and imaging diagnosis were observed and analyzed. Results: The most common symptoms were bone pain, fever, and weight loss. Anemia, thrombocytopenia and the presence of immature erythrocytes and leukocytes in peripheral blood were common hematological abnormalities. Serum alkaline phosphatase levels were increased in 68% of patients. The emission computed tomography (ECT) examinations showed lesions in the bone in 88% of patients. Nineteen patients (46%) had carcinomas of unknown origin, thirteen patients had lung cancer, three patients had prostate cancer and six patients had other primary malignancies. Eighteen patients received chemotherapy. The median survival time of the forty-one patients was only 3.6 months. However, a lung cancer patient had stable disease for 13 months after chemotherapy. Conclusion: When one or more of the following features are present bone pain, fever, weight loss, hematological abnormalities, an increase in serum alkaline phosphates and bone lesions on ECT, metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow should be considered. To verify this diagnosis, bone marrow aspiration is a simple and valuable method. Chemotherapy as early as possible may slow down the progress of disease.