Epidemiology of bone metastases

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Epidemiology
• Cancer Metastasis

Background:

• Bone metastasis is a significant complication of cancer, impacting patient survival.
• Understanding the incidence and demographics of de novo bone metastasis is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the epidemiology of de novo bone metastasis.
• To determine the incidence of de novo bone metastasis by primary cancer site, age, and sex.
• To compare the survival outcomes of cancer patients with and without bone metastasis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, population-based study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program data (2010-2015).
• Analysis included incidence rates, annual percentage changes, and Cox regression models.
• Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was employed to compare survival between groups.

Main Results:

• 5.1% of cancer patients were diagnosed with de novo bone metastasis.
• Lung, prostate, and breast cancers were the most common primary sites for bone metastasis in adults.
• Incidence of bone metastasis is increasing for prostate and stomach cancers.
• De novo bone metastasis was associated with a small reduction in overall survival (HR=1.02).

Conclusions:

• The incidence of de novo bone metastasis varies significantly by primary cancer site, age, and sex.
• Bone metastasis has a disease site-specific impact on survival compared to metastasis to other sites.