[Encounter of cancer cells with bone. Therapy for bone metastasis from lung cancer]

Bone metastasis from lung cancer requires a thorough examination of bones, including axial bones (e.g., spine, pelvis, and proximal femur) . Most patients have multiple bone metastases by the time they are initially diagnosed. In such patients, radiation therapy is often the first choice of treatment. Surgical treatment is indicated for pathological fracture and impending fracture associated with cortical bone invasion in long bone metastasis. Spinal metastasis requires accurate imaging to evaluate the extent of bone metastasis ; surgical treatment is indicated when the spinal cord is compressed. Given reports that bisphosphonates decrease the incidence of pathological fractures, prescribing bisphosphonates at an early stage is likely to be an effective therapeutic strategy for bone metastasis.