Objective: With reference to primary bone tumors, we previously found lactoferrin (Lf) immunoreactivity in chondroblastomas, chondromyxoid fibromas, giant cell tumours and osteoid osteomas, while no immunoexpression for this protein was detected in chondrosarcomas and osteosarcomas. Herein we aimed to analyze Lf distribution in bone metastases from cancers of different sites. Method: Lf immunohistochemical expression was investigated in 25 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of human bone metastatic lesions as well as in the primitive corresponding carcinomas. The primitive sites of carcinomas were: breast (8), prostate (4), kidney (4), lung (3), colon-rectum (2), uterus (4). A Lf intensity-distribution (ID) score was calculated for each case by multiplying the values of the area staining positivity and the intensity staining.