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Pathology of Bone Metastasis

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Book cover Management of Bone Metastases

Abstract

Bone metastases are a frequent complication of advanced cancer. Interactions between cancer cells and marrow stromal cells and bone turnover mechanisms are crucial in metastases growth and the pathogenesis of bone damage. Metastatic tumour cells stimulate the bone remodelling and indirectly induce the osteocytes to release several growth factors that promote the proliferation of stromal, haematopoietic and neoplastic cells in a sort of vicious circle. Histological examination of bone metastasis of known origin is performed usually to define prognostic and/or predictive markers for target cancer therapy; in the 10–30% of patients in which the primary tumour is not identified, the histologic findings derived from bone biopsy could be diagnostic by morphological or immunohistochemical assessment of the neoplastic tissue.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. Martina Leopizzi for helping in building iconography and to Dr. Carmen Mazzitelli and Dr. Caterina Chiappetta for the critical review of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy

    Carlo Della Rocca M.D.

  2. Pathology Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome - Polo Pontino, Latina, Italy

    Claudio Di Cristofano M.D.

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  1. Carlo Della Rocca M.D.
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  2. Claudio Di Cristofano M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlo Della Rocca M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Vincenzo Denaro

  2. Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Alberto Di Martino

  3. General Direction of Health Program, National Ministry of Health of Italy, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Piccioli

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Rocca, C.D., Di Cristofano, C. (2019). Pathology of Bone Metastasis. In: Denaro, V., Di Martino, A., Piccioli, A. (eds) Management of Bone Metastases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73485-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73485-9_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-73484-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-73485-9

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