Increased urinary excretion of pyridinium cross-links in cancer patients.

Pyridinoline (PYD) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD), two collagen-based cross-links found in bone, were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in urine samples from 65 control subjects and 97 patients with either untreated or progressive cancer. Patients with cancer had significantly (P < 0.001) higher urine concentrations of PYD and DPD than did control subjects. Both cross-links were increased in cancer patients with and without clinically detectable bone metastases, although patients with bone and liver involvement had higher mean concentrations. The mean concentrations of both cross-links were also significantly higher in the urine samples of inpatients than in an outpatient ambulatory population. These findings suggest that the measurement of PYD and DPD in urine may be useful in assessing bone metastases and bone resorption in cancer patients.