Bone can be described as a living tissue that makes up your skeleton and provides shape, support and protection to the body parts. In addition, bone stores fibers and minerals and acts as a medium for the development and storage of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Bone cancer can be defined as the development of a malignant tumour or mass of tissue from the bone cells. It is regarded as a rare type of cancer by experts. It can affect any bone of your body and can be aggressive. Thus, early detection is important. If you are a resident of Mumbai or Thane, know that there are many bone cancer treatment hospitals in Mumbai and Thane for the best care.
What are Types of Bone Cancer?
There are two types of bone cancer: Primary Bone Cancer and Secondary Bone Cancer. Primary bone cancer begins from the cells in the hard bone tissue and is considered rare. Secondary bone cancer, on the other hand, is caused when cancer on the other parts of the body spreads and affects bone. The most common cancer types that spread to the bone include breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer and prostate cancer. The primary bone cancer type discussed is more common than secondary cancer.
Primary Bone Cancer
Primary bone cancer is one of the serious types of bone cancers that affect bones, surrounding tissue as well as cartilage. Common primary bone cancer types are discussed.
Osteosarcoma – Also known as osteogenic sarcoma, this cancer type tends to develop at the tip of the long bones present in arms and legs. However, Osteosarcoma can originate in other parts such as shoulders, hips and body parts near to knee and upper arm. It affects the hard bone tissue that is key to providing the outer layer of the bones. The condition can occur at any age and it is commonly found in teenagers and young adults.
Ewing’s Sarcoma – Ewing’s sarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer after Osteosarcoma. It may start either in the bones or soft surrounding tissues of the bone. Children and young adults are often affected by this condition. Different body parts such as arms, legs and pelvis with long bones are commonly affected.
Chondrosarcoma – Chondrosarcoma usually starts in the cartilage forming cells of the body. Therefore, it can affect any part with cartilage which includes the pelvis, arms and legs. Other body parts affected can be the chest wall, shoulder, skull, rib cage and trachea. According to experts, the risk of Chondrosarcoma increases as you get older.
Other Bone Cancer Types
Bone Fibrosarcoma – Although Fibrosarcoma begins in the soft tissues rather than in bones, it affects bones in the arms, legs and jaws of an individual. Middle-aged adults are most vulnerable to this type of cancer.
Multiple Myeloma –Multiple Myeloma is also a common type of bone cancer. However, as it begins in the plasma cells, it is not considered as a primary bone cancer type by experts. The condition affects older adults and causes tumours in different bones of the body.
Causes
Experts are uncertain about what causes bone cancer. However, a link between bone cancer and different factors such as radiation exposure, drugs intake for other cancers and hereditary has been found.
Symptoms of Bone Cancer
People with bone cancer may experience symptoms and signs discussed below.
Pain – The earliest sign of bone cancer is pain in the area where the tumour is located in the body. Initially, the pain will be vague but it will gradually become persistent and troublesome for the patient. The movement of the body part may cause significant pain as well.
Swelling and Stiffness – Swelling and stiffness are common symptoms that may emerge if the tumour is located in the joint or nearby the joint. This will also limit the mobility of the patient.
Limping – When a bone with cancerous tumour breaks, it may lead to limping.
Pressure – When the tumour in the bone grows it may start pressing towards other parts of the body such as nerve, which will cause pain, tingling sensation, muscle weakness and numbness.
Other symptoms – Very rarely, patients with bone cancer may experience fever, weight loss and anaemia issues.
However, it is possible that many individuals may not observe these signs or changes. Moreover, the symptoms can sometimes point towards other diseases and health conditions. This is the reason why you should always consult with a doctor as soon as possible for better evaluation and diagnosis.
How is Bone Pain Diagnosed?
The doctor will assess your symptoms and check your complete medical history. After evaluation, the doctor may choose to physically examine your affected body part. Furthermore, different image tests will be recommended which include X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans and Bone scan. Sometimes a blood test is also advised to check the signs of blood cancer in patients. Biopsy is another procedure that is done for bone cancer diagnosis.
Bone Cancer Treatment
Different factors such as cancer type, tumour size and whether it has spread to other parts are taken into consideration before deciding the best treatment for bone cancer. Some of the treatment approaches generally taken are chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.
Best Bone Tumour Treatment in Thane
Pinnacle Orthocentre is one of the leading, trusted and best orthopaedics hospitals in Thane. The team of highly qualified professionals and advanced technology promises to provide fast diagnosis, world-class care and excellent treatment solutions for you. For more details, contact us at any time.
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