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Bone cancer is usually the result of metastasis from other organs. Primary bone tumors can also be present, but they are very rare – about one patient in a hundred cancer patients has a bone tumor that has arisen in this tissue.
As in all tissues, bones can also develop benign and malignant tumors. In benign tumors, surgical excision is usually performed, followed by regular checkups. Treatment of malignant bone cancers depends on the type of disease. Tumors in this group are very diverse and each of them requires an individual specialist approach.
When it comes to metastatic bone cancer, the primary focus is usually breast, prostate, stomach, thyroid, or kidney cancer. When an infiltrate does occur, usually the cancer is at an advanced stage.
Types of bone tumors
Primary malignant changes in bones are otherwise called sarcomas – they are rare. Sarcomas come from the tissues that build the bone and its surroundings, in short, bone and cartilage. The main method of fighting primary tumors is surgery, which consists in removing the tumor tissues or sometimes the entire limb.
Types of benign and malignant bone tumors.
- osteoma – it is a benign tumor that affects both women and men. The symptom is swelling, severe pain, arthritis. The prognosis in this case is good;
- osteoma is also a benign tumor, which is observed in patients from 5 to 40 years of age. Men who complain of pain after exercise, but also morning and night pains suffer more often. The treatment is surgery and the prognosis for recovery is good,
- giant cell tumor – can be benign or malignant, occurs in people between 20 and 40 years of age. Accompanied by pain and swelling in a limb that resembles arthritis. Even if the cancer is metastatic, the prognosis is good,
- Chondoma – is a benign neoplasm that occurs in both sexes. The symptom of chondroma is pain and sometimes bone fractures. Usually treatment is observation, sometimes surgery is performed. The prognosis is good
- Osteosarcoma – is a malignant tumor that occurs mainly in men between 12 and 24 years of age. The tumor most often appears in the knee or humerus. The limb hurts (especially at night), it is swollen, sometimes it even leads to fractures. This cancer is often associated with lung metastasis. The treatment is as follows: induction chemotherapy – surgery – adjuvant chemotherapy. The prognosis for osteosarcoma is average,
- Ewing’s sarcoma – is a malignant tumor, most common in young boys up to 15 years of age. It manifests itself with intense pain that radiates to the limbs, there are swelling and inflammation, there are also bone fractures. The prognosis is average, if there are metastases – bad,
- ameloma – is a benign or malignant neoplasm that can appear in both men and women. A symptom of enameloma is a tumor visible on the neck or face. The patient may experience severe pain in the teeth and sinuses. The prognosis for a cure is good,
- chondrosarcoma (chondrosarcoma) – is a malignant tumor that can often give symptoms of sciatica. Bladder-related ailments often appear. back pain and swelling. Surgery is the main method of treatment (or proton radiotherapy, for which the availability in Poland is unfortunately very limited). Recovery depends on how advanced the cancer is.
If you suspect cancer, proper diagnosis is necessary. Take advantage of an online visit to an oncologist at haloDoctor.pl. There you will get answers to your questions and learn what steps you should take.
Heart attack, diabetes, cancer, stroke – the plagues of the XNUMXst century that await you every day
Bone cancer metastasis
Bone metastases usually do not give any particular symptoms and their presence is noticed accidentally in tests. The most common symptom of metastasis is pain in the affected area, it is very strong and is not affected by any painkillers. Other symptoms that indicate the presence of metastasis are:
- an increase in calcium in the blood, which can be life-threatening,
- compressing the metastasis to the spinal cord,
- pathological bone fractures.
How to diagnose bone metastases?
In the diagnosis of metastases, an X-ray examination of the area in which we feel symptoms is used. You can also perform a PET examination – positron transmission electronography, which allows you to determine whether there are any suspicious changes in the bones. Sometimes the situation requires computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or bone scintigraphy.
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Symptoms of bone cancer
Bone cancer has very different symptoms depending on the type of cancer. What almost all of its types have in common is characteristic bone pain, which usually worsens at night. Swellings also appear with some types of cancer. Unfortunately, they are sometimes confused with rheumatic diseases. Sometimes pathological fractures also appear as a result of changes in the bone structure. It is a bit different with enamel, which, as the name suggests, is a cancer of the enamel. It usually develops near the molars and is not painful. That is why in detecting it, regular check-ups at the dentist are so important, even if we do not feel any discomfort.
The main symptoms of bone cancer
Bone ache – it usually occurs where the cancer grows and is the most common symptom of cancer. At the beginning of the disease, pain appears and disappears, but its intensity may increase at night and when we overload the bones. As the cancer progresses, the pain becomes more intense and it won’t go away, and the painkillers stop working.
Bone tissue weakness – makes frequent fractures. In advanced bone cancer, fractures will appear unexpectedly, without any additional stimulus, even when standing or rolling over while sleeping from side to side. Patients who struggle with bone cancer report that they experience severe bone pain before the fracture.
Thickening of the bones / lumps / swelling – they mainly occur when the cancer affects the joints. They can appear when the tumor grows in volume, unfortunately this often means that it is too late to heal.
Other signs of bone cancer may include: general weakness; weight loss; anemia; high fever. Do not ignore any symptoms!
Bone cancer – treatment
Surgery is usually used to treat benign bone tumors. Patients then undergo systematic checks to see if the tumor has recurred and becomes malignant.
Ewing’s sarcoma, which is most common in children and adolescents, is treated by combining cancer surgery with chemotherapy. The procedure is similar in the case of osteosarcomas, with the difference, however, that chemotherapy is usually used first, then surgical resection, and the entire course of treatment is completed with another chemotherapy.
A giant cell tumor is usually also removed surgically, but this is not always possible due to the unusual localization of the lesion. Then, bone cancer is treated with radiation therapy.
The situation is slightly different in the case of chondrosarcomas, as the treatment of this bone cancer with chemo- and radiotherapy does not give good results. Here, proton therapy is used as a method supporting resection.
In conclusion, there is no real cancer cure that would guarantee a complete cure. In the case of cancer, it is important to watch for symptoms and consult your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner we react, the greater the chance of a cure.
Bone cancer – prognosis
If we are dealing with bone cancer, which is the result of metastasis of another type of cancer, the prognosis is not very good, because the disease is in an advanced stage. In the case of primary bone cancer, more than 60 percent. of patients survive for a period of five years from diagnosis. In many patients, complete remission is achieved.
Osteoporosis is a common bone disease. Proper diagnostics allows you to detect the disease at an early stage. Check the condition of your bones and perform a blood laboratory analysis without leaving your home.
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