title: Breast-cancer osteolysis, bone metastases, and anti-osteolytic effect of aspirin.
abstract: 23 (60%) of 38 human breast carcinomas had significant in-vitro osteolytic activity. All patients presenting with bone metastases or hypercalcaemia had active tumours. Over a subsequent three-year follow-up period, bone metastases did not develop in any of the 15 patients with inactive tumours, and metastases at other sites developed in only 2. Of the 23 patients with active tumours, 7 either had, or have since developed bone metastases; in 4 of these hypercalcaemia also developed. 14 tumours, chosen at random, were tested for in-vitro osteolytic activity in the presence and absence of aspirin, which inhibits prostaglandin synthetase. The activity of 8 of the 9 osteolytically active tumours was significantly, though not completely inhibited by aspirin. Although the number of patients is limited, these results indicate that the in-vitro osteolysis assay may detect substances, perhaps including prostaglandins, produced by breast tumours which affect prognosis and contribute to the subsequent formation of bone metastases.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001862:Bone Resorption; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D046508:Culture Techniques; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D010014:Osteolysis; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin; D002118:Calcium