[Diagnostic value of bone marrow biopsy for bone marrow metastatic tumor with unknown primary tumor site].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the diagnostic value of bone marrow biopsy for bone marrow metastatic tumor with unknown primary tumor site.

METHODS

Thirty-eight cases of metastatic bone marrow tumors were diagnosed by light microscopy, and the bone marrow samples from these cases with unknown primary tumor sites were examined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

In all the cases, the bone marrow was infiltrated by tumor cells between the bone trabecula. Twenty patients were identified to have poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, 6 had mucinous adenocarcinomas, 6 had mucinous carcinomas, 4 had poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas, and 2 had melanoma. Immunohistochemistry identified the primary tumor sites in these cases, including 12 stomach cancers, 10 breast cancers, 8 prostate cancers, 4 lung cancers, 1 dorsal melanoma, 1 left foot melanoma, and 2 nasopharyngeal cancers.

CONCLUSION

Proper immunohistochemistry can help determine the primary tumor sites in patients with metastatic bone marrow tumor with unknown primary tumor sites.