TY - JOUR T1 - Impaired Bone Microenvironment: Correlation between Bone Density and Presence of Disseminated Tumor Cells JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 4423 LP - 4428 VL - 31 IS - 12 AU - B. KRAEMER AU - R. ROTHMUND AU - M. BANYS AU - N. KRAWCZYK AU - E.-F. SOLOMAYER AU - C. MACK AU - D. WALLWIENER AU - T. FEHM Y1 - 2011/12/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/31/12/4423.abstract N2 - 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. ER -