TypeIandtypeIIIcollagen metabolites inadult osteosarcoma patients

We havepreviously shownthattheamino-terminal propeptide oftypeIIIprocollagen (PIIINP) isa prognostic factor in softtissue sarcomas (Wiklund etal.,1992). PIIINPwas elevated particularly inthecaseofboneinvolvement ofthe tumour.Recently PIIINPhasbeenshownto bebotha prognostic factor andtoreflect theclinical behaviour of multiple myeloma(Taube etal., 1992). Inthisdisease also thecross-linked carboxy-terminal telopeptide oftypeIcollagen(ICTP) isaprognostic factor, a measureoftheextent of bonelesions anda sensitive markerofregression ofthe disease (Elomaa etal., 1992; Abildgaard etal., 1994). Both ICTPandthecarboxy-terminal propeptide oftypeIprocollagen,PICP, areelevated inprostate cancerwithbonemetastases(Kylmala etal., 1993,1995). TypeIcollagen isthe majorprotein ofmineralised bone,accounting forabout 90% ofitsorganic matrix, whereas typeIIIcollagen isan important matrix constituent ofsofttissues, including the bonemarrow andperiosteum (Risteli andRisteli, 1989). Thus,itseemedrelevant tostudythese three metabolites, which measuresynthesis (PIIINP, PICP) as well asdegradation(ICTP) ofcollagen typesIandIIIinosteosarcoma, a malignant primary bonetumour.