Metastatic bone marrow tumours: a report of six cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Bone marrow aspirations and biopsies are now employed in the investigation of many disorders in haematology, oncology, and internal medicine. In this paper, clinical, laboratory, and pathological findings are presented of patients with bone marrow metastases of solid tumours (n = 6). Anemia was detected in four cases (66.6%), thrombocytopenia in five cases (83.3%), leukopenia in three cases (50%), diffuse bone pain in four cases (66.6%), elevated serum alkaline phosphatase levels in four cases (66.6%). and hypercalcaemia in two cases (33.3%). In conclusion, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy examinations are effective, practical, and cheap in detecting solid tumour metastasis to bone marrow in a selected group of patients.