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Bone is the third common site of distant metastases in cancer patients. Bone metastases may have implications for prognosis, quality of life, and local and systemic therapy. Numerous imaging modalities may be used to detect bone metastases. The two main anatomical modalities are computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with many variants proposed for the MRI procedure, including diffusion-weighted imaging. The two main functional modalities are scintigraphy and PET/CT, also with many variants in the radiopharmaceuticals. Aim of our paper is to review the most important radio-compounds that can be successfully used to detect and/or characterize bone metastases.

The authors present the experience of a single institution with selective arterial embolisation for primary and metastatic bone tumours. A total of 365 patients were treated with 454 embolisation procedures from December 2002 to April 2010. Embolisation was the primary treatment for benign bone tumours, adjuvant treatment to surgery for benign and malignant bone tumours and palliative treatment for bone sarcomas and metastases. Indications for repeat embolisation included pain or imaging evidence of progressive disease: 105 patients had repeat embolisation at the same location at an interval of 1-3 months; 260 patients had one embolisation, 78 had two and 29 had three or more. In all patients, N-2-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) in 33% lipiodol was the embolic agent used. A total of 419 of the 454 embolisations (93%) were technically successful. In 35 cases, embolisation was not feasible because of poor lesion vascularisation (21 patients with bone metastases and two with aneurysmal bone cysts), origin of the Adamkiewicz artery in the embolisation field (four patients with bone metastases and one with aneurysmal bone cyst), atheromatosis and arteriosclerosis (five patients with bone metastases) and anatomical and technical problems such as small-calibre vessels, many branches and acute vessel angles (two patients with bone metastases). A clinical response was achieved in 406 of the 419 procedures (97%), and no response in 13 procedures in patients with pelvis and sacrum tumours. Complications included postembolisation syndrome in 81 patients (22%), transient paraesthesias in 41 (11%), skin breakdown and subcutaneous necrosis at the shoulder and pelvis in five (1.4%) and paresis of the sciatic nerve in one (0.3%). We recommend embolisation as primary or palliative treatment or an adjunct to surgery for tumours of variable histology. Strict adherence to the principles of transcatheter embolisation is important. Arteries feeding the tumour and collaterals must be evaluated carefully and catheterised superselectively to protect the normal tissues. NBCA is considered the most appropriate embolic agent for small-vessel occlusion without major complications.

Two parallel cost-effectiveness studies comparing oral ibandronate and i.v. zoledronic acid and generic pamidronate have been performed. Two global economic models were adapted to the Italian National Health Service within the management of metastatic osteolysis in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. Total cost was respectively Euro 100 and Euro 418 lower per patient for ibandronate, vs. zoledronic acid and pamidronate in chemotherapy-treated patients, and Euro 337 and Euro 419 lower in patients undergoing hormonal therapy; also, with a small increment in QALYs, ibandronate resulted as the dominant therapeutic option.

We reviewed our experience as concerns 588 patients treated by resection for bone tumor and reconstructed by massive bank bone implant. The period taken into consideration goes from 1984 to 2001. The mean age of the patients was 24 years with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 77 years: in 186 cases (31.6%) age was lower by 14 years. Most of the patients were referred for a diagnosis of malignancy (85%), and of these, 70% had undergone antiblastic therapy postoperatively according to the modalities of the protocols. Of the cases that were not treated by chemotherapy there are 16 that had a homoplastic graft after failure of a previous one. In a high number of cases (189) surgery included reconstruction of an intercalar segment of a long bone. Of these, 106 were in the femur, 69 in the tibia, and 14 in the humerus. One joint reconstruction was carried out in 128 cases of which 52 in the knee, 49 in the shoulder, 10 in the elbow, 11 in the wrist, 3 in the ankle, and 3 in the metatarsals. Fusion, which was one of the most frequent indications in the eighties, is used less today; overall it was carried out in 91 cases of which 65 in the knee, 14 in the hip, 9 in the ankle and 3 in the wrist. This type of implant may also be used in the pelves, and this took place in 56 cases using different procedures of reconstruction. The most current method of reconstruction for a joint is composite prosthesis, and this was used in 124 cases of which 67 around a knee, 53 in the hip, 4 in the shoulder. Finally, in 78 cases a vascularized fibula transplant was associated with an intercalar graft, fusion, or osteoarticular graft to increase the mechanical capacity of the implant together with a more rapid integration of the implant, particularly at the osteotomic lines. Despite the excellent results demonstrated in the first 3 years of follow-up, infection, resorption, delay in consolidation and fracture led to 18% failures of the implant. Massive homoplastic graft is still a good means of reconstruction that allows for excellent functional results, but despite this intense research activity is required to improve its mechanical hold in time together with better and complete integration.

Thirty-two patients affected with skeletal conditions were examined with MRI using Short TI Inversion Recovery sequence and Spectral Presaturation with Inversion Recovery (SPIR) sequence as well as Spin-Echo (SE) T1-weighted sequence and Fast Spin-Echo (FSE) T2-weighted sequence to compare their value in the assessment of skeletal lesions. SPIR sequence was performed after intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA. The lesions included primary bone tumors (10 cases: 1 osteosarcoma, 1 periosteal sarcoma, 1 Ewing's sarcoma, 1 chondrosarcoma, 2 non-ossifying fibromas, 1 chondroma, 1 chondromyxoid fibroma, 1 desmoplastic fibroma and 1 bone cyst), metastases (7 cases: 3 prostate, 3 breast, 1 lung-squamous cell carcinoma), infections (12 cases: 9 osteomyelitis, 3 spondylodiscitis), sacroiliitis (1 case) and posttraumatic bone bruise (2 cases of bone marrow edema). The four sequences were compared by using both qualitative and quantitative evaluation. Qualitative evaluation showed that STIR sequence was better than SPIR sequence (performed with Gd-DTPA) for lesion conspicuity (p.016) and for signal intensity uniformity (p.03). Compared with SE T1 and FSE T2 sequences, fat-suppressed sequences were superior for conspicuity, margins, and extension of the lesions (range of p.001-.017). Only SPIR with Gd-DTPA sequence, compared with SE T1 sequence for lesion conspicuity was not statistically significantly different. Quantitative evaluation showed statistically significant higher values of percent contrast (%C) and contrast-to-noise ratio (C/N) for STIR sequence compared with SPIR sequence (%C p.004; C/N p.040). This study suggests that STIR sequence and SE T1-weighted sequence provide high sensitivity in lesion detection and good anatomical definition. The use of a fat-suppressed sequence with Gd-DTPA can be useful for lesion characterization.

Oral and maxillo-facial mesenchymal malignant neoplasms are rare. They involve nosologic, diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Clinical cases of soft and bone tissue are reported. They share difficulties in clinical, roentgenographic and histopathological diagnosis and often the disagreement between the clinical evidence and the histopathological report. The rule of the immunohistochemistry for a correct characterization of mesenchymal malignant neoplasms and the necessity for correct and early diagnostic definition in order to plain the treatment are emphasized.

As complete as possible a picture of the current state of cytostatic chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic breast carcinoma is offered. Attention is therefore mainly concentrated on application modalities of this form of therapy in relation to the clinical stage of the disease and to the use of other treatment possibilities. Methods and results of cytostatic therapy are then considered. The present situation is reviewed and the pharmacological and toxic aspects of prolonged antiblastic treatment are assessed. After outlining a number of special problems relating to the treatment of CNS and pleural metastases, the personal series is presented and results, which do not differ from other reported series, reported. In conclusion, stress is laid on the importance and effectiveness of cytostatic therapy in the treatment of metastatic breast carcinoma, but extended, controlled studies are also recommended.

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