CONDITIONS

Bone cancer could mean cancer of any bone in the body, but it mostly affects the pelvis or the bones in the arms and legs.  

Bone cancer means that some cells have unusually grown out of control in the bone destroying normal bone tissue in that process.  

Bone cancer is rare, with certain types of bone tumours being more common.  

Primary bone cancer or bone sarcoma is the cancer that originates from the bone. These are Osteosarcoma (around knee and upper arm), Ewing’s sarcoma (in ribs, pelvis, upper arm) and chondrosarcoma (hips, pelvis, leg). Secondary bone cancer is cancer that has spread from other parts to the bone.  

What are the symptoms of Bone Cancer? 

Cancerous or not, symptoms may appear of a bone tumour. Accidentally, doctor may discover it while X-ray of another condition, such as a sprain. 

Symptoms include pain that: 

• Is around the tumour. 

• Is dull or achy. 

• Worsens with activity. 

• Keeps a person awake at night. 

Other symptoms are: 

• Fever 

• Night sweats 

• Swelling around a bone 

• Limping 

• Fatigue 

• Weight loss 

An injury doesn’t cause a bone tumour. 

What are the causes and risk factors of Bone Cancer? 

A well-defined cause of bone cancers is unknown but some of them have been linked to hereditary factors or previous radiation exposure. 

An increased risk factor for bone cancer is: 

• Cancer treatment in case of radiation, stem cell transplants, or certain chemotherapy drugs for other cancers. 

• Inherited conditions such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, or cancer of eye cancer called retinoblastoma. 

• Paget’s disease of bone 

How is Bone Cancer diagnosed? 

Medical history is asked, and doctor may conduct a physical exam. Imaging tests to get a better look at the bone is conducted such as:  

• X-rays for tumours and their size. 

• CT scans: For more detailed pictures. 

• MRI scans: Using strong magnet to look inside the body. 

• PET scans: A technician injects radioactive glucose (sugar) into the vein and scans for cells that use more glucose than regular cells. 

• Bone scans: A technician injects a different radioactive material into your vein. It collects in your bones, where a scanner can see it. 

What are the treatment options of Bone Cancer? 

The treatment options for bone cancer depends on the stage (0 to IV) of cancer, the overall health, and other preferences. Doctors will suggest the best course of action as different bone cancers require different treatment or combination of treatments. Common treatments for bone cancer are as follows: 

• Limb salvage surgery: Part of the bone with cancer is removed leaving the nearby muscles, tendons, or other tissues intact. A metallic implant is placed instead of the bone.  

• Amputation: A large tumour, if detected in the nerves and blood vessels, the doctor might remove the limb to prevent spread and advice a prosthetic limb afterward. 

• Radiation therapy: Killing cancer cells and shrinking tumours X-rays is called radiation and is often used in combination with surgery. 

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses chemical substances (drugs) to kill cancer cells and is used either before surgery, after surgery, or for metastatic cancer. 

• Targeted therapy: Focuses on proteins in the cancer cells. These proteins help in cell growth and multiplication and the treatment kills cancer cells and/or slows their growth. 

References: 

1. Stuart A. Bone Cancer. WebMD. March 2024. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/bone-tumors 

1. Bone cancer. Mayo Clinic. March 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bone-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20350217