The use of the pelvic radiograph alone to assess therapeutic response in bone metastases from breast cancer.

This study examines the necessity for repeated full skeletal radiographic surveys to assess the response of bone metastases from breast cancer to systemic treatment. This method of evaluating response is compared with that achieved using sequential radiography of the pelvis alone. Sequential changes on pelvic radiographs were identical to those seen on a complete skeletal survey in 87% of the patients studied. In only 6% of the patients were the changes on the pelvic radiographs sufficiently at variance with those on the skeletal survey to suggest a difference in management. It is suggested that sequential radiography of pelvic bones alone is sufficient to assess response of bone metastases in breast cancer in the majority of patients.