What is it?
It is a cancer that affects the bones and soft tissues, which include muscles, fat, blood vessels, tendons, and joint linings. It commonly affects adolescents, young adults, and youth, but it can also occur in young children and older adults. There are more than 70 types of bone cancer, and its treatment varies based on its specific type and location.
What are the early warning signs of bone cancer?
- A palpable lump or tumor felt under the skin
- Bone or joint pain
- An unexpected bone fracture occurring without a clear injury
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Fever and chronic fatigue
- Anemia
What are the risk factors?
- Exposure to certain chemicals
- Exposure to viruses (such as the Human Herpesvirus)
- Other pre-existing bone disorders, such as Paget's disease of bone
- Certain hereditary or genetic conditions, including:
- Hereditary retinoblastoma
- Bloom syndrome
- Li-Fraumeni syndrome
- Rothmund-Thomson syndrome
- Werner syndrome
What are its complications?
- Metastasis: The cancer's ability to spread to other organs.
- Limb Amputation: Required in some cases to ensure the complete removal of the cancer.
- Side Effects: Health issues resulting from long-term treatment.
How is it diagnosed?
- Clinical Examination: A physical assessment by a physician.
- Imaging Tests: These may include:
- X-ray imaging
- Computed Tomography ($CT$) scan
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging ($MRI$)
- Positron Emission Tomography ($PET$) scan
- Bone scan
3. Biopsy (Testing a tissue sample): A procedure used to take a sample of suspicious cells for laboratory testing. These lab tests determine the specific type and grade of the cancer.
What are the treatment methods?
Treatment strategy depends heavily on the tumor's location, size, type, grade, and extent of spread. Bone cancer treatment typically involves one or a combination of the following methods, depending on the case:
- Surgery: The goal of surgery is to remove all cancer cells. The scope of the procedure depends on factors like tumor size and location, and includes:
- Limb-sparing surgery: An operation to remove only the cancer while preserving the limb.
- Amputation: A surgical procedure to completely remove the affected limb.
- Chemotherapy: This approach uses medications to kill cancer cells. It may combine two or more drugs, administered either intravenously (through an IV), orally as tablets, or using both methods. Chemotherapy can be used after surgery to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.
- Radiation Therapy: This treatment utilizes high-energy beams, such as X-rays and protons, to destroy cancer cells. Radiation may be an option when surgery is not possible, or if surgeons cannot completely remove all of the cancer during an operation.