A reduction in bone turnover activity, assayed by bone markers, appears to correlate with improved outcomes. Thus, use of bone markers to measure abnormal bone turnover may help identify patients at increased risk for bone complications or skeletal-related events (SREs). In addition, bone markers may prove useful in monitoring response to treatment and customising future treatment. Although many questions remain concerning use of bone markers in the treatment of metastatic cancer, these markers are expected to have a valuable role in managing metastatic bone disease (MBD). This review examines SREs and the burden they impose on patients, the relationship between SREs and bone turnover markers, and the potential role of bone markers in guiding treatment and improving patients' quality of life (QOL).

中文翻译：

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优化患者治疗：骨标记物的作用？

用骨标记物测定的骨转换活动的减少似乎与改善的结果相关。因此，使用骨标记物测量异常的骨转换可能有助于确定骨并发症或骨骼相关事件（SRE）风险增加的患者。此外，骨标记物可能被证明可用于监测对治疗的反应并定制未来的治疗方法。尽管仍然存在关于在转移性癌症治疗中使用骨标志物的许多问题，但是这些标志物有望在管理转移性骨病（MBD）中发挥重要作用。这篇综述研究了SRE及其对患者的负担，SRE与骨转换标志物之间的关系以及骨标志物在指导治疗和改善患者生活质量（QOL）中的潜在作用。