Bone metastases: Epidemiology and societal effect

Abstract

The incidence of skeletal metastases is increasing as survival from cancer increases. This introductory chapter looks at the epidemiology of metastatic bone disease and the impact of increasing survival of patients with cancer. The incidence of skeletal related events (SREs) and pathological fracture are reviewed from epidemiological data and the placebo wings of randomized trials of bisphosphonate therapy in metastatic bone disease. The economic and social burden of SREs in metastatic bone disease to health organizations, both patients and caregivers, and the wider economy are reviewed and updated to 2014 costs.