Analysis of orthopedic surgery of bone metastases in breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of death in women. Because bone metastases are a common finding in patients with breast cancer, they are of major clinical concern. METHODS: In 115 consecutive patients with bone metastases secondary to breast cancer, 132 surgical procedures were performed. Medical records and imaging procedures were reviewed for age, treatment of the primary tumor, clinical symptoms, surgical treatment, complications, and survival. RESULTS: The overall survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer was dependent on the site and the amount of the metastases. Age was not a prognostic factor for survival. If the result of the orthopaedic surgery was a wide resection (R0) survival was significantly better than in the R1 (marginal resection – tumor resection in sane tissue) or R2 (intralesional resection) situation. Concerning the orthopaedic procedures there was no survival difference. CONCLUSION: In conclusion a wide (R0) resection and the absence of pathological fracture and visceral metastases were predictive for longer survival in univariate analysis. Age and the type of orthopaedic surgery had no impact on survival in multivariate analysis. The resection margins lost significance. The standard of care for patients with metastatic breast cancer to the bone requires a multidisciplinary approach.