Prostate Cancer and Bone Marrow Involvement

Abstract

Introduction:Bone marrow involvement (BoMI) may be common during the tumour’s lifespan or, sometimes, it may be the first sign of manifestation of a disease. Prostate cancer at an extensive stage has osteoblastic bone metastasis. The purpose of this study is to explore the results of prostate cancer with BoMI that is diagnosed by bone marrow biopsy.Methods:We retrospectively evaluated 55 patients with BoMI of solid tumours and 8 patients with histopathologically proven BoMI of prostate cancer. The overall survival (OS) was demonstrated by Kaplan–Meier analysis, and the curves were compared by the log-rank test.Results:The median age of patients was 67.5 years (range: 46-83 years). Bone was the most common site of metastasis, except BoMI (n=8, 100%). At the time of diagnosis of BoMI, the most abnormal haematological findings were anaemia (87.5%) and thrombocytopenia (87.5%), followed by leucopenia (37.5%). The median time of BoMI was 16.8 months (range: 0-57.8). The median and mean OS after the diagnosis of BoMI were 38 days [95% confidence interval (CI); 0-175.2] and 143 days (95% CI; 27.7-259.9), respectively. According to the treatment status after BoMI, median OS were 215 days for patients who underwent oncologic treatment and 21 days in patients followed up with best supportive care (BSC) (p=0.014).Conclusion:BoMI in prostate cancer and other solid tumours remain a dismal situation. According to survival difference between the patients who received treatment and BSC after BoMI diagnosis, patients who are eligible for oncologic treatment should be encouraged for continuing the treatment.

Keywords

• bone marrow involvement
• prostate cancer
• survival