Osseous metastases from colorectal carcinoma

In a 10 year (1970 to 1980) retrospective study of 66 patients with primary colorectal adenocarcinoma and osseous metastases, there were 47 patients who had bone and other distant metastases whereas 19 patients had osseous metastases only. The median disease-free interval was 21 months. The overall median survival time from diagnosis of osseous metastases was 7 months. Bone scanning is probably more sensitive for diagnosing bone metastases that radiography. Radiotherapy seems to be the most effective treatment for symptomatic osseous metastases.