Patients with advanced cancer often develop bone metastases that lead to significant skeletal morbidity and substantially reduced functionality and autonomy [Coleman RE, Rubens RD. Bone metastases. In: Clinical Oncology, 2nd edn. New York: Churchill Livingstone. 2004, p. 1091-128]. As current methods of diagnosing bone metastases are cumbersome and not cost-effective, there is great interest in exploring the potential of biochemical assays that measure bone turnover activity. These markers may have value in measuring metastatic bone disease (MBD) progression and identifying patients at higher risk for metastases. Bone markers are also being evaluated as a possible guide to optimize treatment of bone complications. In the reports included in this supplement, experts at the frontiers of bone marker research offer insights on their progress.

中文翻译：

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骨标志物在转移性骨病中的作用。

患有晚期癌症的患者经常会发生骨转移，从而导致严重的骨骼疾病，并大大降低功能和自主性[Coleman RE，Rubens RD。骨转移。在：临床肿瘤学，第二版。纽约：丘吉尔·利文斯通。2004，p。1091-128]。由于当前的诊断骨转移的方法麻烦且不具有成本效益，因此人们对探索测量骨转换活动的生化分析方法的潜力非常感兴趣。这些标志物可能在测量转移性骨病（MBD）进程和鉴定转移风险较高的患者中具有价值。骨标记物也正在评估中，以作为优化骨并发症治疗的可能指南。在本增刊中包含的报告中，骨标记研究领域的专家提供了有关其进展的见识。