Clinical significance of isolated scintigraphic sternal lesions in patients with breast cancer.

Isolated scintigraphic sternal lesions are rare. In a retrospective review of the bone scan results of 1,104 patients with breast cancer, 34 individuals (3.1%) presented with this abnormality. Of these foci, 26 (76%) were found to represent metastatic disease. There did not appear to be a relationship with axillary lymph node metastasis, the quadrant involved by primary breast tumor, or selected serum chemistries. These sternal lesions may be associated with regional lymphatic tumor spread rather than hematogenous seeding and therefore could be considered a local recurrence.