[Biochemical markers of bone formation activity in children with neoplasms]

The aim of the study was the analysis of biochemical markers of bone turnover in children with neoplasms comparing with the group of healthy children. We explored the relationships between sex, pubertal development and type of neoplastic disease. 85 children (53 boys) with newly diagnosed neoplasms: 48 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), 13 with Hodgkin's disease and 22 with solid tumors (group I) and 111 healthy children (group II) were studied. We measured in plasma: 1. bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), 2. osteocalcin (OST) as the markers of bone formation and 3. ICTP (cross-linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen), 4. parathormon (PTH), as the markers of bone resorption.

1. In the group of boys with neoplasms osteocalcin and BALP values were lower than in healthy boys: OST 51.2 ng/ml +/- 35.3 vs 85.8 ng/ml +/- 35.96, p < 0.0001, BALP 105.6 U/L +/- 56.8, p < 0.0001. The girls had lowered values of osteocalcin (45.55 ng/ml +/- 40.9 vs 71.94 ng/ml +/- 28.75, p < 0.0008) and ICTP (11.25 U/L +/- 3.38 vs 15,47 U/L +/- 5.33, p < 0.0016). The differences were also observed in comparison with the pubertal stage except for the boys in V0Tanner stage. 2. The values of OST and BALP were lower in children with ALL than in the children with solid tumours (p < 0.01). The values of ICTP did not depend on the type of disease, sex and pubertal stage, except the children before puberty. 3. In all group we found the correlation between OST and ICTP (r = 0.45, p < 0.05), BALP and ICTP (r = 0.45, p < 0.05). This correlation was observed in children with leukaemia (r = 0.55, p < 0.05), especially in girls (r = 0.9, p < 0.05).

The markers of bone turnover are decreased in children with newly diagnosed neoplasms, especially with ALL.