Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical and cell morphology features of metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow. Methods A total of 106 patients with metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow diagnosed were enrolled. The bone marrow and peripheral blood smear cytological characteristics, blood biochemical parameters and clinical manifestations were retrospectively analyzed. Results Osteodynia was the most common symptom. Hematological abnormalities included anemia and thrombocytopenia. The presences of immature erythrocyte and immature granulocyte in peripheral blood smear were demonstrated in 74% of the patients, and 46% of the patients had a dry pumping phenomenon undergoing bone marrow puncture. Metastatic carcinoma cells could be found as a single or formed group or cluster in the bone marrow smears in all 106 patients.Serum alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase levels increased in 67% and 69% of the patients, respectively.Carcinomas of unknown origin accounted for 47%,followed by gastric cancer (14%),breast cancer (11%) and prostate cancer (9%). Conclusions The possibility of metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow should be considered, if the symptoms include unexplained anemia,fever,hemorrhage and osteodynia,with increasing alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase,the presences of immature erythrocyte and immature granulocyte in peripheral blood smear. The bone marrow puncture is a simple and valuable method for the diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow.

Key words: Metastatic carcinoma of bone marrow, Cell morphology, Clinical symptom, Diagnosis