bone cancer

bone cancer

bone cancer

Bone cancer is the occurrence of abnormal cell growth in bone. Bone cancer can be benign or malignant, and can occur inside the bone itself or as a growth on the bone itself. Cancer can lead to unexplained, worsening leg pain, swelling and an increased incidence of fracture / fracture. The diagnosis is usually made using imaging (X-ray, CT or MR), but it may also be necessary to take a tissue sample, known as a biopsy, to confirm the suspicion.



 

- What is the difference between primary cancer and metastasis?

As mentioned, cancer can be benign and malignant. Benign cancer means that the cancer does not spread to other parts of the body. Malignant cancer will cause so-called metastasis, which means spread to other parts of the body. Different types of malignant primary cancer can spread to different parts of the body.

 

When we talk about primary cancer, according to bone cancer, we mean cancer that has been formed in or on bone. By bone cancer metastasis it is believed that there has been another primary cancer (eg breast cancer or prostate cancer) that has spread to the bone mass.

 

Benign bone cancer is much more common than malignant bone cancer

Fortunately, malignant primary bone cancer is very rare. In the United States, it is estimated that only 2500 receive such cancer diagnoses annually. This number excludes the diagnosis of multiple myeloma (called multiple myeloma in English), a form of cancer that mainly affects the bone marrow and not the outer bone layer.



 

prostate cancer cells

 

Symptoms of bone cancer

The first symptom of bone cancer may be pain in the bone itself, which can be misinterpreted or felt like growing pains. The first sign of bone cancer may be a swelling or lump that does not hurt. This can gradually become painful and the pain will then become progressively worse. Many describe the pain in words like intense toothache. Characteristically, the pain is persistent at rest and at night. Cancerous tumors can weaken the bone structures until it eventually leads to a so-called pathological fracture Fractures that should not have occurred with normal bone structure.

 

How is bone cancer diagnosed?

A prolonged, persistent pain or extremity should be examined X-ray. An X-ray can show that there is abnormal bone cell growth and the like, but it can be difficult to define whether they are benign or malignant. It should be said that there are several types of bone cancer and bone conditions that can be defined with X-rays, including Paget's disease, chondroma, bone cysts, non-osseous fibroma (fibrous growths without bone tissue, known as nonossifying fibroma in English) and fibrous dysplasia (fibrous dysplasia on norsk).

 



If an X-ray examination is not conclusive, you can supplement it with one MRI examination or CT imaging - this type of examination will be able to estimate the exact size and location, which in turn provides valuable information when it comes to correct diagnosis. The last link in the diagnosis is one biopsy, where you take a cell sample by inserting a needle into the affected area. The problem is that you can actually bomb the cancer cells themselves. So even this kind of diagnosis is not 100% safe.

 

cancer cells

 

List of different types of bone cancer

Benign bone cancer forms

- Osteochondroma

- Enchondroma

- Chondroblastoma

Chondromyxofibroma

Osteoid osteomyelitis

- Benign germ cell tumor

 



Primary bone cancer forms

myeloma (also better known as multiple myeloma in English)

- Osteosarcoma

- Fibrosarcoma

- Malignant fibrous histiocytoma

- chondrosarcoma

- Ewing's sarcoma

- Bone lymphoma / reticulum cell sarcoma

- Malignant germ cell tumor

- Cordoma

 

Colorectal Cancer Cells

 

 



Metastasis

- Breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer and colon cancer can all spread to bone.

- The diagnosis can be confirmed by imaging and if necessary; biopsy.

- Forms of treatment include radiation, chemotherapy and / or surgery. It has been done in recent decades major advances in the treatment of cancer (PubMed link).

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