CORRELATION BETWEEN SKLETAL METASTASES AND VISCERAL ORGAN INVOLVEMENT IN BREAST CANCER

The records of 110 breast cancer patients, treated between 1971-1991 in Ankara Oncology Hospital and whose first metastasis was confined to the skeletal system were reviewed. In the follow-up period the extraskeletal metastasis occured in a median of 8.5 months. According to the anatomic site of the skeletal metastasis the patients were evaluated in 3 groups; skeletal metastasis between lumbosacral junction to cranium as group 1, lumbosacral junction to caudat as group 2 and cranium to caudat as group 3. Group 2 patients had higher visceral metastases rate than group 1(p<0.05). It is concluded that the chance of extraskeletal metastasis is more likely to be seen in those patients whose skeletal metastasis between lumbosacral junction to caudat and this should be considered in the follow-up period of these patients.

Keywords: Breast cancer, skeletal metastasis, visceral metastasis