Breast and bone: A story of hidden similarities

Several clinical and biological evidences, such as breast calcifications and breast metastasis to bone, suggest a deep relation between bone and breast tissues. Tangible proofs of great similarities between these tissues bring to light how complex phenomena, as breast micro calcifications and bone metastasis, could be the result of a tight correlation between apparently different organs. The fine characterization of breast micro calcifications could be a helpful tool in breast cancer screening, since it could help imaging technologies to discriminate micro calcifications in vivo. Also, the recent finding of cells involved in the formation of breast micro calcifications, the BOLCs, evokes a new vision about the “breast-bone” affinity. Indeed, the identification of breast cancer cells with highly affinity for bone environment can shed new light on prevention and therapy of bone metastasis from breast.