Clinical features and prognostic factors of bone metastases from colorectal cancer

To investigate the clinical features and prognoses of patients with diagnosed bone metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). This was a 16-year retrospective study of 32 patients with bone metastases secondary to CRC, who were seen at National Kokura Hospital between 1993 and 2008. The influence of clinical and pathologic variables on survival was assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The bone most commonly involved was the spinal column. The mean disease-free interval was 17.6 months and mean survival from the diagnosis of bone metastases was 9.3 months. On univariate analysis, the serum CEA level at the time of diagnosis of bone metastases (p = 0.020) and history of pulmonary metastases (p = 0.013) were significant. On multivariate analysis, a history of bone metastases in the ribs (hazard ratio 3.669, p = 0.025) and a history of pulmonary metastases (hazard ratio 3.854, p = 0.022) significantly affected survival. It is important to investigate for bone metastases in patients who complain of back pain and lumbago after CRC surgery.