[Determination of calcitonin and parathyrin in blood serum in the diagnosis of tumor metastases to bone].

Calcitonin and parathyroid hormone concentrations were determined using a radioimmunoassay in the blood serum of lung, breast and kidney cancer patients who had undergone combined treatment for major disease, healthy males, patients with spinal tuberculosis and patients with eosinophilic granuloma of the cranial bones. A significant rise of the calcitonin level and change in the ratio of calcitonin and the parathyroid hormone were established in the blood serum of patients with tumor metastases to the skeleton, spinal tuberculosis and eosinophilic cranial granuloma. During cancer patients' monitoring the determination of calcitonin is recommended as a screening test for skeletal metastases to select patients for gamma-topographic investigation.