The incidence of vertebral body metastases

Over 10 years, 842 consecutive autopsies on patients dying from a malignant neoplasm were evaluated microscopically to determine the incidence of spinal and skeletal metastases. Vertebral wedging, sclerosis and areas of osteolysis were defined as features of spinal metastases. The incidence was 30.6%, 65% of which arose from lung, breast or lymphoma and myeloma. The frequency of extraspinal metastases was 9.8% with 66% arising from the lung, liver, lymphoma or myeloma; they were mainly situated in the ribs, skull and clavicle.