The role of bone markers in metastatic bone disease.

Patients with advanced cancer often develop bone metastases that lead to significant skeletal morbidity and substantially reduced functionality and autonomy [Coleman RE, Rubens RD. Bone metastases. In: Clinical Oncology, 2nd edn. New York: Churchill Livingstone. 2004, p. 1091-128]. As current methods of diagnosing bone metastases are cumbersome and not cost-effective, there is great interest in exploring the potential of biochemical assays that measure bone turnover activity. These markers may have value in measuring metastatic bone disease (MBD) progression and identifying patients at higher risk for metastases. Bone markers are also being evaluated as a possible guide to optimize treatment of bone complications. In the reports included in this supplement, experts at the frontiers of bone marker research offer insights on their progress.