Availability of Serum Type I Collagen Degradation Product (ICTP) in the Diagnosis of bone Metastasis in Primary Lung Cancer

In order to establish the diagnosis of bone metastasis in patients with primary lung cancer, serum type I collagen degradation product (ICTP), a metabolite of type I collagen which consists more than 90% of the organic substance of the bone, was measured and its clinical availability was evaluated by comparing these values with values of serum CEA, CYFRA21-1, alkaline phosphatase and calcium, whitch were simultaneously measured. The serum ICTP levels in the patients with lung cancer with bone metastasis were significantly elevated, compared with those patients without bone metastasis and patients with other pulmonary diseases and healthy controls. It also showed decided superiority over the others in sensitivity and specificity. The results suggested the usability in the diagnosis of bone metastasis in lung cancer.