Those who displayed higher PTHrP expressions tended to have a higher bone metastasis rate (67.6 % vs. 45.8 %, P = 0.019) (Table 3), but the data of Kaplan-Meier lifetime analysis showed no significant difference of the cumulative DFS in the positive and negative group, respectively (Fig. 2a). This evidence concerns the gene PTHLH and bone metastasis.