J Korean Cancer Assoc.  2000 Feb;32(1):76-85.

The Significance of Bone Marrow Micrometastasis ( BMM ) in Breast Carcinoma

• Kang SH
• Lee SJ
• Kim SW
• Kwun KB

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was performed to determine the incidence of BMM and to correlate the presence of these micrometastases with prognosis and othet clinicopathologic features.
Materials AND Methods
BMM was evaluated in 220 breast cancer patients between July, 1991 and January, 1997, using mouse monoclonal antibody (AE1/AE3) against cytokeratin in an immunofluorescent assay.
RESULTS
Of the 220 patients, 71 (32.3%) were positive for BMM. There were no association between bone marrow positivity and nodal status, TNM stage, known histopathologic parameters, and hormona1 receptor. Median follow-up for 220 patients was 41.6 month. The relapse rate was 16.8% (37/220). Twenty-four (33.8%) of 37 patients were positive for BMM and 13 (8.7%) were negative (p<0.05). Bone metastasis occurred in 16 cases, and was more common in BMM positive patients (14 of 24, 54.2%, versus 2 of 13, 15.4%, p < 0.05). Twenty-six patients were died of relapsed breast cancer. In overall survival, patients who was negative for BMM showed higher survival rate (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
BMM was a good predictor for distant metastasis, especially bone metastasis, and for poor prognosis. But no association was found between bone marrow positivity and tumor size, nodal status, stage, histologic parameter and hormonal receptor status.

Keyword

Breast neoplasm; Micrometastasis; Immunofluorescence

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bone Marrow*
Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Incidence
Keratins
Mice
Neoplasm Metastasis
Neoplasm Micrometastasis*
Prognosis
Recurrence
Survival Rate
Keratins