The value of the bone scan and bone marrow biopsy staging small cell lung cancer.

The charts of 112 patients with small cell lung cancer were reviewed in a retrospective fashion in order to define the role of the radionuclide bone scan and bone marrow biopsy in the staging of this disease. Both a radionuclide bone scan and bone marrow biopsy were performed on all patients at the time of diagnosis. Sixty-one percent of patients had a negative bone scan and negative biopsy; 22% had a positive bone scan and negative biopsy; 8% had a negative scan and positive biopsy; and 9% had a positive scan and positive biopsy.