What is bone cancer?
Bone cancer is cancer of the bones. It can start as a tumor in the bone or it can spread to the bone from another area. Most bone cancers start in other areas. When cancer spreads to the bones, it is called metastatic cancer, or secondary cancer. Very rarely, cancer begins in a person’s bones.
Bone cancer includes cancerous (malignant) tumors. They destroy bone tissue and can continue to spread. Noncancerous (benign) tumors are usually not life-threatening.
There are three main forms of bone cancer.
- bone tumor occurs in hard bone tissue (osteoid). Usually, it’s found in the thigh bone just above your knee or in your upper arm. It usually affects children and adolescents under 19 years of age or those over 65 years of age.
- Chondrosarcoma occurs in cartilage. Cartilage is the tissue that connects and cushions your bones and joints. Usually, this type is found in your shoulders, shins, or hips. It usually affects adults over the age of 40.
- Ewing sarcoma occurs in the bone or surrounding soft tissue. Usually, it’s found in your arms, legs, pelvis, or spine. It most commonly affects children and adolescents, especially boys under the age of 19.
Chordoma is another very rare type of bone cancer that forms in the spine. This type of cancer is more common in men than in women and usually occurs in older people.
Symptoms:
The main symptom of bone cancer is pain. However, not everyone is in pain. You may also experience swelling in the area of bone cancer, broken bones, or high blood calcium levels.
What causes bone cancer?
There are several causes of bone cancer. Many times cancer from another part of your body spreads to your bones. This is more likely to happen in people who have had radiation or chemotherapy. Children are more vulnerable to this.
Other less common causes include:
- Family history of bone cancer.
- Bone defects.
- metal implants.
In some cases, the cause of bone cancer is unknown.
How is bone cancer diagnosed?
There are a number of tests your doctor can perform to find and diagnose bone cancer. If the doctor finds a lump, they will need to find out if it is cancerous. These tests may include:
- X ray.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Computed tomography (CT) scan.
- Bone scan.
- biopsy.
- blood tests.
Can bone cancer be prevented or avoided?
In general, bone cancer cannot be prevented or avoided.
Treatment
Treatment options vary depending on the type of bone cancer, its size, and location. They also depend on your age and overall health. Surgery is the most common form of treatment. The goal is to remove the entire tumor. In some cases, this may require amputation of your arm or leg.
Instead of surgery, your doctor may recommend cryosurgery. This treatment uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy tumors and cancer cells. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are other forms of treatment. Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells. It can be given by mouth, injected (injection), infused (via IV), or even on the skin. Radiation uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells.
Some types of treatment will require physical therapy or rehabilitation. Your doctor may also recommend certain lifestyle changes.
Living with bone cancer
After treatment, it is important that you see your doctor regularly. This can help identify problems immediately. After bone cancer is removed, it can still come back or spread. You may also develop other types of cancer or health problems. Tell your doctor about any new symptoms you have.