Bone metastases in carcinoma of the nasopharynx

Of a total of 340 patients with confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma, treated by conventional x-rays, 58 (17%) presented clinical and radiological evidence of bone metastases. A study of the distribution and radiological appearance of these secondary deposits shows that they affected principally the trunk bones and were of three main types. The osteolytic type was the commonest, but predominantly sclerotic and partially sclerotic (or mixed) metastases also occurred. The incidence of bone secondaries in this series was compared with those reported in other studies and was found to be significantly higher.