EXCESSIVE BONE-RESORPTION IN HUMAN PLASMACYTOMAS - DIRECT INDUCTION BY TUMOR-CELLS IN-VIVO

We studied the bone resorption (BR) in 82 patients with overt plasmacy tomas (PCT) by histomorphometry. All the solitary PCT and 90% of overt PCT in complete remission lacked excessive BR, In contrast, 73% of th e 68 patients with active overt PCT had an excessive BR, This excessiv e BR was highly related to the presence of tumour cells within the bon e sample. Indeed, 92% of patients with active PCT and tumour cells wit hin the biopsy had an excessive BR. On the other hand, 70% of patients with active PCT but lacking tumour cells within the biopsy had normal BR.