Table 1 Comparison of characteristics, group with fracture versus group without fracture (Chi 2 test, comparison of means) a) Clinical parameters

Number of patients

37

10

27

Number of lesions radiated

47

10

37

Age

p = 0.16

Mean (years)

62.8

65.3

62.2

Age range (years)

33 - 93

33 - 87

33 - 93

Gender

NS

Men

27 (57.5)

4 (14.8)

23 (85.2)

Women

20 (42.5)

6 (30)

14 (70)

Primary cancer

NS

Lung

18 (38.3)

4 (22)

14 (78)

Breast

11 (23.4)

3 (27)

8 (73)

Prostate

10 (21.3)

---

10 (100)

p = 0.08

Other

8 (17.0)

3 (37.5)

5 (62.5)

Corticosteroids

NS

< 1 month

1 (2.1)

1 (100)

---

> 1 month and < 6 months

2 (4.2)

1 (50)

1 (50)

> 6 months

0

---

---

No

42 (89.5)

8 (19)

34 (81)

NA

2 (4.2)

---

2 (100)

Biphosphonates

NS

Yes

21 (44.7)

4 (19)

17 (81)

No

21 (44.7)

4 (19)

17 (81)

NA

5 (10.6)

2 (40)

3 (60)

Chemotherapy ongoing

p = 0.03

Yes

34 (72.3)

10 (29)

24 (71)

No

13 (27.7)

---

13 (100)

Long bone

NS

Femur

28 (59.6)

7 (25)

21(75)

Humerus

17 (36.2)

3 (18)

14(78)

Tibia

2 (4.2)

---

2 (100)

Locoregional history

NS

Fracture

2 (4.2)

1 (50)

1 (50)

Osteoarthritis

5 (10.5)

---

5 (100)

No

40 (85.1)

9 (23)

31 (77)

Contralateral prosthesis

4 (8.5)

---

4 (100)

NS

Pain intensification

NS

Yes

42 (89.4)

10 (24)

32 (76)

No

5 (10.6)

---

5 (100)

Number of lesions radiated

47

10

37

Localization

NS

Upper third

43 (91.5)

9 (21)

34 (79)

Lower third

4 (8.5)

1 (25)

3 (75)

Type of metastatic spread

Well defined

23 (49.0)

---

23 (100)

p = 0.0005

Diffuse

24 (51.0)

10 (42)

14 (58)

Appearance of the metastatic lesion

Normal

2 (4.2)

---

2 (100)

p = 0.02

Osteolytic

18 (38.3)

7 (39)

11 (61)

Mixed

15 (31.9)

3 (20)

12 (80)

Osteoblastic

11 (23.5)

---

11 (100)

Moth---eaten

1 (2.1)

---

1 (100)

Mean dimensions (mm)

Height

59.8

80.07

46.1

CI 95%

(40.5; 79.1)

(50.37; 109.8)

(33.3; 58.9)

p < 0.01

Diameter 1

32.2

48.5

27.6

CI 95%

(26.8; 37.5)

(41.8; 55.1)

(22.7; 32.6)

p = 0.01

Diameter 2

22.9

34.2

19.8

CI 95%

(18.6; 27.3)

(29.5; 38.8)

(15.3; 24.3)

p = 0.01

Circumferential perimeter

142.6

133.1

145.2

p = 0.15

CI 95%

(129.9; 155.3)

(127.1; 139.1)

(130.3; 160.1)

Cortical thickness

3.5

3.3

3.6

p = 0.27

CI 95%

(3.1; 3.9)

(3.2; 3.4)

(3.1; 4.0)

Craniocaudal cortical lysis

p < 0.0001

Mean (mm)

45.2

103.0

28.6

CI 95%

(25.3; 65.0)

(85.6; 120.4)

(14.7; 42.6)

Cortical lysis threshold

No

16(34.0)

---

16 (100)

< 30 mm

10 (21.3)

---

10 (100)

< 30 mm

21 (44.7)

10 (47.6)

11 (52.4)

Circumferential cortical lysis

p < 0.0001

Mean (mm)

32.3

78.6

19.8

CI 95%

(22.3; 42.3)

(74.5; 82.6)

(11.6; 28.1)

Cortical lysis (%)

No

16 (34.0)

---

16 (100)

< 50%

21 (44.7)

2 (9.5)

19 (90.5)

< 50%

10 (21.3)

8 (80)

2 (20)

Cortical lysis in thickness

p = 0.0018

Mean (mm)

2.2

3.3

2.0

CI 95%

(1.6; 2.9)

(3.2; 3.4)

(1.2; 2.7)

Cortical lysis (%)

No

16 (34.0)

---

16 (100)

0 - 99%

5 (10.7)

---

5 (100)

100%

26 (55.3)

10 (38.5)

16 (61.5)

Mirels score

P = 0.0005

≤ 7

14 (29.8)

---

14 (100)

= 8

9 (19.1)

---

9 (100)

≥ 9

24 (51.1)

10 (42)

14 (58)