Biochemical markers of bone resorption such as the bane collagen breakdown products and specific factors associated with osteoclastogenesis are useful for monitoring the response of anticancer therapy and to assess disease progression in patients with metastatic bone disease.
Aim: the aim of present study was to assess bone resorption process by collagen type I crosslinked C-telopeptide and osteoprotegerin levels in children with osteosarcoma.
Subjects and methods: in serum of 20 patients (10-19 years) with osteosarcoma, bone resorption markers were determined: at diagnosis (before treatment), during preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy and after treatment. The control group consisted of 15 healthy age-matched children. Bone resorption markers were measured by immunoenzymatic ELISA assays.
Results: mean serum concentration of collagen type I crosslinked C-telopeptide in patients at the time of diagnosis was 15206 +/- 6808 pM/L. then it decreased by 15% during preoperative chemotherapy and it increased during the postoperative chemotherapy. In addition, the mean osteoprotegerin level was 3.73 +/- 0.78 pM/L at diagnosis, it increased by 12% during preoperative chemotherapy and then it decreased during the postoperative phase. Patients after therapy were divided into two subgroups: with favourable and unfavourable prognosis, In patients with favourable prognosis we observed lower serum concentrations of both resorption markers in comparison to patients with poor prognosis.
Conclusions: bone resorption markers: may be useful for assessing bone resorption process and can be used in diagnosis and monitoring therapy of patients with osteosarcoma. Higher serum concentration bone resorption markers (especially osteoprotegerin) may be related to poor prognosis.