Collagen Cross-Link Metabolites in Urine as Markers of Bone Metastases in Prostatic Carcinoma

The efficacy of radionuclide bone scans in monitoring metastatic bone activity remains controversial. Objective measurement of bone tumor burden would be useful for the evaluation of new therapies for metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. The recent discovery of the urinary excretion of pyridinoline (cross-link of mature collagen found in cartilage and bone) and deoxypyridinoline (collagen cross-link specific to bone) measured by high pressure liquid chromatography has provided sensitive specific indexes of cartilage and bone breakdown in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases.