OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of bone metastasis of malignant tumors.

METHODSThe clinical data and survival time of 355 patients with bone metastasis of malignant tumors were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe bone metastasis occurred more frequently in men (male:female = 1.45:1). The most common primary tumors were lung cancer in men and breast cancer in women. The thoracic vertebrae, ribs, lumbar vertebrae and pelvic were frequently involved metastatic sites and the multiple bone metastasis was common (83.4%). The main symptom was pain (75.2%). Local masses, disfunctions, pathologic fracture and paraplegia occurred in a few patients while many patients were asymptomatic (22.0%). The most frequent radiographic manifestation was the osteolytic bone destruction (82.2%). Integrated treatments were taken, including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, radiotherapy, surgery, bisphosphonate analgetics, etc. The clinical benefit rate in pain relief was 98.5% and the effective rate was 72.2% in radiographic imaging. The median survival time was 13.9 months. Among them, it was 34.9 months in prostate cancer and 4.6 months in hepatocellular carcinoma. The survival time was longer in bone metastasis without other organ metastasis. There was no significant difference between the single and multiple bone metastases regarding the survival time.

CONCLUSIONIt is important to master the clinical features of bone metastasis of malignant tumors for early diagnosis and treatment, and to improve the quality of life and prolong the survival time.