title: Estrogen receptor profile of patients with breast cancer metastatic to bone marrow.
abstract: The estrogen receptor (ER) profile of patients with breast cancer metastatic to bone marrow (BM) has not been widely reported. The charts of all patients having a diagnosis of breast cancer and undergoing bone marrow aspiration or biopsy at the Cleveland Clinic during the period of January 1980 through September 1982 were reviewed. Thirty-nine patients were so identified; of these 39 patients, 28 had estrogen receptor determination performed on a primary or a metastatic tumor specimen. Of the 28 patients with known ER, ten (36%) had ER less than 5 fmoles/mg cytosol protein, three (11%) had ER or 5 to 10 fmoles/mg, and 15 (54%) had ER greater than 10 fmoles/mg. Of the 39 patients with BM involvement, 36 (92%) had cortical bone involvement documented on x-ray or isotopic bone scan. Liver involvement was documented in 6/34 (18%) patients, pulmonary involvement in 14/37 (38%) patients, CNS relapses in 3/39 (8%), and locoregional recurrences in 19/39 (49%). The most significant hematologic finding was a hemoglobin of less than 12 gm% in 21/37 (57%). The most frequent biochemical abnormality was an elevation of the alkaline phosphatase in 30/39 (77%). The majority of breast cancer patients have a positive ER and ER-positive breast cancer has a tendency to metastasize to cortical bone. Bone marrow involvement by breast cancer is closely associated with cortical bone involvement; accordingly, bone marrow metastases are often associated with a positive ER.
mesh_terms: D001853:Bone Marrow; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen