Pathologic Fractures
Metastatic destruction of bone can lead to total loss of bone
integrity and fracture. Rib fractures and vertebral collapse are
the most common, resulting in loss of height, kyphoscoliosis,
and restrictive lung disease. However, fracture of the long
bones or impingement of bone into the spinal canal cause the
most disability. The probability of developing a pathologic
fracture increases with the duration of metastatic involvement
and, paradoxically, is more common in patients who have
bone-only disease and a relatively good prognosis (Coleman,
Smith, & Rubens, 1998)