Asymptomatic disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow presenting as hyperphosphatasia : report of a case

Metastatic involvement of the musculoskeletal system is one of the most significant clinical issues facing orthopaedic oncologists. The number of patients with metastasis to the skeletal system from a carcinoma is 15 times greater than the number of patients with primary bone tumours of all types. However, progression patterns like disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow are comparative- ly rare. The pathophysiology for disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow, with a prognosis reported to be very poor, is still unknown. We describe a patient who had no symptoms with hyper- phosphatasia. Bone scintigraphy showed a so-called super bone scan and a needle biopsy from the ileum showed adenocarcinoma cells. Additional endoscopic investigation was performed and signet cell gastric cancer was found. From the bone scan and biop- sy, we established the diagnosis of disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow. From the experience of this case, we believe that intensive stomach investigation should be considered in cases with hyperphosphatasia, even when the patient has no symptoms. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2008, 71, 271-274).