Scope and value of bone marrow biopsies in metastatic cancer
Frisch, B.; Bartl, R.; Mahl, G.; Burkhardt, R.
Invasion and Metastasis 4(Suppl): 12-30
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0251-1789 PMID: 6533096 Document Number: 231579
The results of examination of 1810 bone marrow biopsies of 1725 patients with known or suspected carcinomas are presented. The frequency of positive biopsies was 72% for unknown primary cancers, 42% for mammary cancers, 32% for prostatic cancers, 14% for pulmonary cancers and 19% for other cancers; the overall rate of detection of metastases was 35%. The mode of spread, the grade of tumor cell differentiation and the host response to the presence of the metastases were investigated by light microscopic and EM studies and by means of antibody reactions on fresh-frozen sections. The results are presented and their relevance to the fundamental understanding of the metastatic process is outlined. Implications for clinical oncology and patient management are discussed.