The predictive value of serial bone scans in assessing response to chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer.
A retrospective analysis was made of 25 patients with breast cancer treated only with chemotherapy in order to determine the predictive value of technetium-99m bone scanning in determining response to chemotherapy. Whole-body scanning demonstrated bone healing in only 3 of 25 patients. However, the presence of stable disease on bone scan correlated with a good prognosis as 12 patients with stable scans had a significantly longer survival time than did the 13 patients who showed progression on scans (17.7 and 7.8 months, respectively P less than 0.01 greater than 0.005, Wilcoxan). Our analysis indicates that bone scans are a relatively crude technique for monitoring response to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate