What is Bone Cancer?
You may be familiar with cancer that spreads to the
bones from other organs (secondary bone cancer), but
in rare cases, cancer may begin in the bones (primary
bone cancer). People can develop several types of bone
cancer that may take expertise to diagnose and plan treatment for.
Osteosarcoma-The most common type of bone cancer.
It arises in bone and is most commonly found
in children and adolescents but a rare form occurs in adults,
particularly in patients who have been cured of other cancers
with radiation therapy.
Chondrosarcoma-Begins in the cartilage and is usually
only found in adults. It occours in many forms, some
requiring surgery alone, some requiring surgery and
chemotherapy and some requiring surgery, chemotherapy
and radition therapy. It may take the experience and
skill of our expert team to decide the most appropriate
individual therapy.
Ewing's sarcoma - One of a family of malignant bone (or soft tissue) sarcomas
that require an aggressive multidisciplinary approach to curative treatment.
Risk Factors
A risk factor is anything that may increase your chance
of developing a disease. Different diseases, including
cancer, have different risk factors. Although these
factors may put you at greater risk, they do not necessarily
cause the disease. Risk factors for bone cancer include:
- Rare genetic diseases
- Bone exposure to radiation
- Bone marrow transplantation
- Having paget's disease, multiple exostoses, multiple osteochondromas, or multiple enchondromas
- Most occur without any of these predisposing factors.
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Common Symptoms
The best strategy for early diagnosis of bone cancer
is prompt attention to the signs and symptoms of this
disease. Symptoms include:
- Pain in the affected bone that may worsen
and become more constant over time
- Swelling in the area of the pain. It may be
possible to feel a lump or mass
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Anemia
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Screening and Diagnosis
To diagnose bone cancer, a doctor will review your
medical history and examine you. Your doctor may also
use some of the following test to help make a diagnosis:
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- Bone scan
- Computed Tomography (CT) scan - CT scans use a computer
to combine a series of x-rays and produce a three-dimensional
image of internal organs and structures within the
body.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - MRI uses radio
waves and magnetic fields to obtain superbly detailed
anatomical images of the body.
- Angiogram - A test where a special dye is injected
into the blood vessels supplying the portion of the
body where the tumor resides, allowing the doctors
to view the blood supply of a tumor.
- Biopsy - a biopsy is required to determine whether
cancer is present.
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Common Treatment Options
Treatment for bone cancer is based on the type, stage,
and size of the tumor, as well as your personal preferences,
prognosis, and ability to tolerate certain medical procedures
or medications. The goal of treatment is to preserve
healthy tissue while destroying tumors at their point
of origin, in addition to any cancer cells that have
spread throughout the body.
Surgery
Depending on the type and stage of the bone cancer,
surgery may be used to remove the cancer and some of
the nearby tissue. The surgeon removes the cancerous
tissue while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible.
In some cases, amputation of an affected limb may be
necessary but only for very specific situations. Patients
should ask their surgeon to explain the best way to
remove the cancer and keep as much use of the involved
arm or leg as possible.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is a method of treatment
of cancer to help make surgery more curable. Penetrating beams
of high-energy waves called x-rays or gamma rays injures or
destroys tumor cells by damaging their genetic
material, making it impossible for these cells to continue
to grow. There are two types of radiation therapy:
- External-beam radiation therapy - Specialized medical
equipment is used to deliver radiation to the tumor
site from outside the body
- Internal radiation therapy - Radioactive material
is placed in the body near the cancer cells (also
called implant radiation or brachytherapy)
The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the
type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Radiation therapy is sometimes used as an adjunctive
treatment of bone cancers. After
surgery, radiation can be used as an adjuvant (additional)
therapy to kill very small clusters of cancer cells
that cannot be seen and removed during surgery. It can also
be used before surgery like pre-operative chemotherapy to
make the tumor more surgically curable. Radiation
therapy can also be used to ease the symptoms of bone
cancer. It is most commonly used as the main treatment
for Ewing's tumors.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs
to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing
the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. Chemotherapy
is given as the primary treatment along with surgery and/or
radiation therapy. Chemotherapy drugs
can be taken orally or by injection depending on the
type and stage of the cancer and the drug protocol your
doctor has prescribed. It is important to discuss your
treatment protocol with your treatment team so you are
aware of any possible side effects.
