Serum alkaline phosphatase predicts survival outcomes in patients with skeletal metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma

• Main Author: Jin, Ying
• Publication Date: 2015
• Other Authors: Yuan, Mei-Qin, Chen, Jun-Qing, Zhang, Yi-Ping
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Clinics
• Download full: https://www.revistas.usp.br/clinics/article/view/101000

OBJECTIVE: Bone metastasis is frequently associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The diagnosis and follow-up of bone metastatic patients usually relies on skeletal X-ray and bone scintigraphy, which are time-consuming and costly. This study aimed to evaluate whether serum alkaline phosphatase offers clinical value in predicting the clinical response and survival outcome for skeletal metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: Serum alkaline phosphatase was measured at baseline and then before each cycle of treatment in 416 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with bone metastasis. The correlations between the pre-treatment and post-treatment alkaline phosphatase levels and the treatment efficacy were analyzed using the chi-square test. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and then compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: Patients with elevated pre-treatment alkaline phosphatase (>;110 IU/L) had significantly worse progression-free survival (P