Most of the primary breast tumors are usually surgically removed soon after diagnosis, leaving patients ''tumor-free''. But around 20%-40% of breast cancer survivors will eventually suffer metastasis to distant organs, sometimes years after surgery. Bone is the main organ of metastasis in case of breast cancer. A new laboratory technique that can rapidly test the effectiveness of treatments for life-threatening breast cancer metastases in bone, has been developed by a team of researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine and other institutions.