%0 Journal Article %A B. KRAEMER %A R. ROTHMUND %A M. BANYS %A N. KRAWCZYK %A E.-F. SOLOMAYER %A C. MACK %A D. WALLWIENER %A T. FEHM %T Impaired Bone Microenvironment: Correlation between Bone Density and Presence of Disseminated Tumor Cells %D 2011 %J Anticancer Research %P 4423-4428 %V 31 %N 12 %X Background: Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in bone marrow (BM) occur in 30-40% of primary breast cancer patients. An impaired bone microenvironment may lead to reduced bone density and osteoporosis affecting the BM as a homing site for DTCs. The bone mineral density (BMD) and its correlation to DTC in BM was evaluated. Materials and Methods: One hundred and eighty-one women (70 premenopausal, 111 postmenopausal) underwent quantitative ultrasonometry before adjuvant chemotherapy. BM aspirates were analyzed by immunocytochemistry using the ACIS system (Chromavision) based on immunostaining. Results: DTCs were detected in 39% of the patients. Positive BM status correlated significantly with the nodal status. BMD was significantly reduced in the postmenopausal patients (p=0.003). Smaller tumors and higher BMD correlated significantly (p<0.014). Fifty percent of the patients with preclinical osteoporosis were BM positive, whereas 37% with normal or osteopenic BMD had DTCs. Conclusion: An impaired bone micro-environment as found in preclinical osteoporosis might be a homing site for DTCs. %U https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/anticanres/31/12/4423.full.pdf