Bone marrow involvement in patients with metastatic castration sensitive prostate cancer

The clinical significance of bone marrow (BM) metastasis in prostate cancer as well as impact on oncological prognosis is unclear. We aim to assess the prevalence and clinical outcomes of BM metastasis at initial presentation of metastatic castrate sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC).

Retrospective chart review of newly diagnosed metastatic CSPC patients was performed with collection of clinicopathologic and radiologic characteristics. Descriptive univariate and multivariate analysis was performed as well as survival measures (OS and PFS), which was done using the Kaplan-Meier survival and the Log-rank test.

189 patients were eligible, of which, eleven patients (6%) had biopsy proven BM involvement at diagnosis. There was a trend to poorer PFS and OS in patients with BM involvement but not statistically significant; however, factors that correlated with inferior PFS and OS in the multivariate analysis included ECOG PS, ALP, and Hb.

BM metastasis in prostate cancer may lead to poorer survival. Clinical features including poor performance status, anemia, and elevated ALP, could guide bone marrow biopsies in the future to diagnose bone marrow metastasis at an earlier stage.