Bone Cancer – Causes, symptoms and treatment

Overview   

Cancer is a deadly disease. Cancer occurs when the uncontrolled growth of an abnormal cell happens in the body. It is the condition where some cells grow uncontrollably and spread across the entire body. Any organ or part of the body might get infected with cancer. So, Bone cancer occurs when the uncontrolled growth of cells occurs in the bones.

What is Bone cancer?  

Bone cancer is a rare disease where the tumour cells or abnormal mass of cells grow in the bones. The growth of these abnormal cells causes damage or affects the normal tissue, causing bone weakness. The long bones of the body are likely to get affected by Bone cancer.   

What are the types of Bone cancer?   

Primary Bone cancer: The most serious concern of all Bone cancer is primary Bone cancer. It is the condition in which the cancer cell grows directly in the bone, surrounding tissues or in the cartilage of the bones.  

Secondary Bone cancer: Secondary Bone cancer is the most common type of Bone cancer. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to bone through lymph nodes or bloodstream is secondary Bone cancer.

What are the types of Bone cancer?   

The following is an overview of the most frequent types of Bone cancer.  

• Osteosarcoma is a bone sarcoma that affects the long bone of the arms and legs. It affects people of all age groups and it is the most common type of cancer that occurs in the bone.   
• Ewing’s sarcoma is a condition that occurs in teen people. Ewing’s sarcoma develops in the soft tissue surrounding the bone. Other than the soft tissues, the pelvis, ribs, legs and bones of upper arms are most likely to get affected.   
• Chondrosarcoma – Such cancer cells develop in bone and cartilage. This cancer is most common in the elderly and may occur in the pelvis, thigh and shoulder bones.   
• Chordoma – a type of rare cancer that develops in the bones of the spine and sacrum (bottom of the spine). Chordoma is common in adults of age 30 and rare in children.   
• Multiple myeloma is the most common and deadly condition, where the cancer cells grow in the bone marrow and spread to the nearby bones. It can damage the other bones, immune systems and the whole body.   

What are the causes of Bone cancer?   

The exact causes of your Bone cancer are unknown; however, certain factors can induce the abnormal growth of cells. Cancer inducing factors include:   

Radiation exposure

Frequent radiation exposure develops the risk of getting cancer. Radiation exposure may induce the abnormal growth of cells in the body. High radiation exposure can also contribute to cancer.   

Abnormal growth of cells

The abnormal cells of the body can cause cancer complications. The healthy cells die once they accomplish their task, but this abnormal cell continues their living, thereby forming masses of cells and leading to the cause of cancer.   

What are the symptoms of Bone cancer?   

One can find changes in the body, like inflammation and pain, that gives an early warning for medical concern. The other symptoms are as follows:   

• Bone pain   
• Swelling or inflammation   
• Fatigue   
• Weight loss  
• Fever   

If you find yourself diagnosed with the above-listed symptoms, consult a doctor immediately.   

How is Bone cancer diagnosed?  

The answer is to go for an imagery test, which includes an X-ray, CT scan, MRI scan, etc., that helps detect the location and size of Bone cancer. The imagery test also extends to check if cancer has spread to other parts.   

The imagery test includes,   

• X-ray   
• Positron emission tomography (PET)   
• Computerised tomography (CT) scan   
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)   
• Bone scan   

Another common diagnosis for bone cancer is Biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a sample tissue from the affected area of the body to check for cancer growth. This surgical process is performed using a needle or through a minor incision.

The doctor will decide a suitable diagnosis method for Bone cancer, concerning the symptoms and treatment complications.   

What are the treatments for Bone cancer?   

The type of cancer, individual’s current health condition, medical complications and the stage of cancer are the factors that will determine the Bone cancer treatment.  

The treatments for Bone cancer include:   

• Surgery may be required initially and at later stage revision surgery based on drs clinical work up may be required.
• Radiation therapy is a common treatment for all types of cancer. It aims to kill cancer cells completely. In this therapy, high radiation (X-ray beams) is used to kill cancer cells. At times, radiation therapy is used in combination with surgery to remove the left-out cancer cells.
• Chemotherapy treatment uses strong medicines (anti-cancer drugs) injected into veins of the body or taken as pills to kill cancer cells.  

Conclusion   

As the causes of Bone cancer are unclear, its prevention becomes harder. Diagnosing Bone cancer in the early stages can prevent further complications. Practice regular health check-ups and discuss the results with the doctor to diagnose the disease at its early stages.