Although bone cancer can start in any bone in the body, the pelvis or the long bones in the arms and legs are the most frequently affected. Less than 1% of all malignancies are bone cancers, making them extremely uncommon. In actuality, benign bone tumors are significantly more prevalent than malignant ones.
The phrase “bone cancer” excludes tumors that start in other parts of the body and “metastasize” (spread) to the bone. Instead, those tumors are given their original starting points as names, such as bone metastasizing breast cancer.
While some types of bone cancer usually affect adults, others mostly affect youngsters. The most common form of treatment is surgical removal, but chemotherapy and radiation therapy are other options. The type of bone cancer being treated determines whether surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy should be used.
Symptoms
Bone cancer symptoms and signs include:
- A bone ache
- Affected area tenderness and swelling
- Fractured bone due to weakened bone
- Fatigue
- Unwanted loss of weight
Causes
Most bone malignancies have an unknown etiology. Some bone tumors have a hereditary component, whereas others are correlated with radiation exposure in the past.
Various bone cancers
Based on the type of cell where the cancer started, different forms of bone cancers are classified. The most typical forms of bone cancer consist of:
Osteosarcoma. The most prevalent type of bone cancer is osteosarcoma. The malignant cells in this tumor generate bone. The bones of the leg or arm are the most common sites for this type of bone cancer to develop in children and young adults.
Osteosarcomas can occasionally develop outside of the skeleton (extraskeletal osteosarcomas).
Chondrosarcoma. The second most frequent type of bone cancer is chondrosarcoma. The malignant cells in this tumor create cartilage. In middle-aged and older adults, chondrosarcoma typically develops in the pelvis, legs, or arms.
Sarcoma Ewing. Children and young adults’ arms, legs, or pelvis are the most prevalent locations for Ewing sarcoma tumors to develop.
Management
The kind of bone cancer treatment is determined by a number of factors, such as:
What kind of bone cancer is it, where it is located in the body, how aggressive it is, and has it spread?
Treatment options for bone cancer are varied.
Surgery
Surgery aims to remove the tumor and some of the bone tissue that surrounds it. It is the most common treatment for bone cancer.
If a surgeon leaves some of the cancer, it may continue to grow and eventually spread.
Limb sparing surgery, or limb salvage surgery, means that surgical intervention occurs without having to amputate the limb. However, for a person to use the limb again, they may need reconstructive surgery.
The surgeon may take bone from another part of the body to replace lost bone, or they may fit an artificial bone.
In some cases, however, a doctor may need to amputate a limb to remove the presence of cancer altogether. This is becoming increasingly rare as surgical methods improve.
Radiation treatment
Many cancers are treated with radiation therapy on a regular basis.
A expert uses high-energy X-rays to specifically target and destroy cancer cells.
Radiation therapy may be administered in addition to surgery. Individuals with it who do not require surgery may also benefit from radiation treatment.
It is a common component of combination treatment for various bone malignancies and a typical treatment for Ewing sarcoma.
Combining radiation therapy with another kind of treatment is known as combination therapy. There are situations where this might work better.
Chemomedicine
Medications are used in chemotherapy to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is typically administered to patients with osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma.
Additionally, a doctor might suggest a chemotherapy and radiation therapy combo.
Cryoprecision
This method can occasionally take the place of surgery in the removal of bone cancers. Liquid nitrogen is used by a surgeon to target and eliminate cancer cells.
Targeted medication
A medication that has been specifically created by scientists to interact with a chemical that promotes the growth of cancer cells is used in this treatment.
Physicians utilize the monoclonal antibody denosumab (Xgeva) for targeted therapy. Its usage in adults and adolescents with fully grown skeletons has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States.
Osteoclasts are a type of blood cell that stop bone tissue from being destroyed by denosumab.
