Bone biopsy results in patients with a history of malignancy: a case series of 378 patients.

Abstract

The value of a bone biopsy in patients who present with a bone lesion and past medical history of malignancy is uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of bone biopsies in patients with a history of a malignancy undergoing bone biopsy of a lesion in a regional bone tumour unit. Secondary outcomes include the assessment of survival in the different outcome groups. This was a retrospective study of patients, with a previous malignancy and suspicious bone lesions, who underwent bone biopsy for final diagnosis between March 2010 and September 2019. Results of the biopsy were summarized into 3 groups: confirmed original malignancy, confirmed benign diagnosis, and confirmed new malignancy. Survival analysis of each group was also undertaken. A total of 378 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age 64years, 216 females (57%)). In 250 cases (66%), the original malignancy was confirmed on the bone biopsy; in 128 cases, an alternative diagnosis was confirmed (benign diagnosis in 69 (18%)), and 59 had a new malignancy (16%). Survival was significantly greater for those in whom a benign diagnosis was confirmed (logrank test p = 0.0100). This study shows that for patients presenting with a suspicious bone lesion, together with a history of malignancy, in a third of cases, the bone biopsy will confirm an alternative diagnosis of a benign lesion or a new malignancy. Survival of these patients will vary significantly depending on the biopsy outcome.