Understanding Bone Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Bone cancer is a bone tumor that originates from bone-forming cells. Bone cancer or osteosarcoma usually occurs in the bones of the arms, pelvis, and leg bones. However, it does not preclude the possibility of occurring in all types of bones.
Most people who get this type of cancer are children, teenagers and young adults. In young adults, bone cancer can be caused as a complication of Paget's disease (a disorder of the bone regeneration process).
- There are several stages of cancer or severity of bone cancer, namely:
- Stage 1. At this stage, the cancer is limited to one area of the bone.
- Stage 2. At this stage, the nature of the cancer cells is more aggressive.
- At this stage, the cancer has spread to more than one area of the bone.
- At this stage, the cancer has spread to other organs in the body.
Symptoms of Bone Cancer
The following are signs of the main symptoms of bone cancer, namely:
- Pain. Cancer sufferers will feel pain in the affected bone. Initially bone pain is only felt occasionally, but will often feel intense pain as the cancer grows.
- Brittle bones. This cancer also causes bones to become brittle and can cause fractures even with minor injuries, if the cancer gets worse.
- Swelling. Swelling of the bone that appears around the bone affected by the cancer. If the swelling occurs near a joint, it will make it difficult for the patient to move the joint.
- Tumor develops rapidly
- The body gets tired easily and loses weight drastically without cause.
Causes and Factors of Bone Cancer
The exact cause of bone cancer is still unknown. However, some sources say this condition is triggered by mutations or changes in cell growth control genes that cause cell mutations to grow uncontrollably and form tumors in the bones.
The following risk factors can increase a person's chance of developing bone cancer, namely:
- Suffering from Li-Fraumeni syndrome which is inherited from family members
- Having undergone large doses of radiotherapy treatment
- Paget's disease, which is a disorder of the bone regeneration process that makes the bones weaker
- Having an eye cancer called retinablastoma
- Babies born with umbilical hernia
Diagnosis of Bone Cancer
Diagnosis of bone cancer requires physical and supporting examinations. The examination can be done to find:
- Lumps on the bone. These lumps grow large quickly and cause pain and swelling in the surrounding area.
- Deformities in the area where the tumor grows.
Supporting examinations can help the diagnosis process of bone cancer as follows:
- CT scan (Computerized Tomography) is an examination that uses X-rays with a computer to produce three-dimensional images of the body part being examined.
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is an examination of the body performed using radio wave and magnet technology. It is used to clearly see the size of the cancer.
- X-ray. The examination is done to determine bone damage due to cancer, as well as to see whether or not there is bone growth.
Bone Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment options depend on the severity, location and extent of bone cancer spread. The following are the treatments for bone cancer or osteosarcoma:
- Surgery. Aims to remove the cancer-affected part of the bone and cancerous cell tissue.
- Chemotherapy. Is the administration of anticancer drugs through injections into special blood vessels to destroy cancer cells that attack the bone.
- Radiotherapy. Is a treatment carried out by emitting high radiation rays. This procedure is done before surgery which is useful for shrinking cancer cells, so that the cancer is easily removed.
Friends of Hermina, if you experience the symptoms mentioned above, do not hesitate to immediately visit the nearest hospital and consult a doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment before the symptoms get worse. Best wishes for good health.
Reference:
1. National Library of Medicine - Primary Bone Cancer. Accessed on 2024
2. Indonesian Ministry of Health - National Bone Cancer Day. Accessed on 2024