Bone marrow scintigraphy in breast cancer.

Bone marrow scintigrams (BMS) have been performed in 101 women with histologically proven breast cancer (36 stage IV among them at the time of the first investigation, follow-up examinations available in 41, disease evolution observed in 17). They have been compared to conventional bone scintigram (CBS) as well as to radiological, clinical, biological and follow-up data obtained in the same patients. Only three (7.4%) out of the 41 patients with radiologically or/and histologically proven skeletal metastasis had normal BMS and 33 had corresponding bone marrow scintigraphic defects (BMS ++). On the other hand, only three patients of the 32 with normal BMS had documented skeletal abnormalities. Abnormal bone marrow extension, observed in 61.4% of the patients (62/101), seems to represent a reaction of the reticulo-endothelial system to the disease dissemination - even microscopic - and, as such, to have prognostic implications. As BMS demonstrated skeletal invasion earlier or more precisely than CBS in ten cases, the technique appears of value and of interest in breast cancer management.