Significance of the vertebral venous (Batson's) plexus in metastatic spread in colorectal carcinoma.

Recently studies of bone metastases in colorectal carcinoma by radionuclide scanning are reviewed. A frequency of 33--61% has been reported using the more recently available bone scanning tests. The commonly accepted frequency of bone metastases from colorectal carcinoma by x-ray or anatomic studies is 5%. This much higher frequency currently being reported must still be established by additional studies. However, if the much high frequency currently being reported is firm, they suggest a much greater importance of the Vertebral Venous Plexus in tumor spread than heretofore suspected for colorectal carcinoma.