Can Bone Cancer Be Cured

Most types of primary bone tumors - bones, cartilage, or other bone tissue - are benign and therefore contain no cancerous cells. Primary bone cancer (malignant tumors that originate primarily in bone, cartilage or other bone tissue) is rare. In the US this occurs in less than 1% of all new cancer patients per year. Much more often, cancer occurs in the bones as a sore of a primary cancer in a place elsewhere in the body.

Primary bone cancer

Primary bone cancer occurs especially in young people and especially in those who are unusually long for their age. Primary bone cancer is classified globally in three most common forms (together 85%) namely:

Osteosarcoma (60%): Especially in teenagers whose bones are in the rapid growth stage.
Ewing's sarcoma: occurs in bone marrow, children aged 5-9 and young adults between 20 and 30 years
Other less common forms of primary bone cancer in adults are:

• Fibrosarcoma (connective tissue tumor)
• Malignant large cell tumors

Improved detection and treatment techniques have brought the 5-year survival rate to 70%.
The healing chances depend strongly on how early the cancer is detected and the rate at which it tends to spread. The chance of survival of bone-borne tumors varies depending on the origin of the cancer in question. Benign tumors do not normally lead to long term health risks.

Symptoms

A hard bump on the surface of a bone, which may or may not be painful. Pain and swelling of the bones and joints, often intense at night, the pain is not necessarily associated with movement, spontaneous bone fractures, fever, facial loss, impaired mobility which sometimes occurs in the final stages of bone cancer. Benign tumors are usually painless.

Causes

In most cases of pimperic bone cancer, there are no specific causes. Some cases seem to have a genetic link. In addition to some genetic abnormalities, there are a handful of rare genetic diseases associated with primary bone cancer. Cancer occurs more frequently in bones that have previously been broken or infected. Exposure to certain chemicals can increase the likelihood of primary bone cancer. Also, a high dose of certain radiation or chemotherapy composition is sometimes associated with certain types of bone cancer.

Diagnosis and test procedure

If symptoms indicate bone cancer, the doctor will do blood tests to exclude any other causes. X-rays and other diagnostic footage are used to identify bone cancer and a biopsy is taken. This biopsy is being investigated for the presence of cancer cells. If it is determined that the tumor contains cancer cells (so malignant) then tests are being done to determine whether there are sores in which cancerous cells have spread to other parts of the body.

Conventional treatment

If possible, bone tumors are removed surgically. If the cancer is in a leg or arm, it can be removed in 90% of the cases without amputation. Often, the removed bone is replaced by a metal construction. Prior to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are used to reduce the tumor. Also after the operation, radiation and chemotherapy are used to kill any residual cells.

Both radiation and chemotherapy are also used if the bone cancer is not operable. These treatments are mainly intended to prevent further sores and rarely lead to complete cure. Some doctors experiment with additional immune therapy, which may result in a lower dose of radiation and chemotherapy, with consistent results.

Prevention

Always read the safety precautions on paint, solvent, pesticide, cleaning products and other products that may contain certain (carcinogenic (?)) Chemicals. If you have ever been treated with radiation in the past you should be alert to symptoms of bone cancer. If these symptoms occur, consult with your doctor.