When cancer spreads to the bones, it leads to a chronic condition called bone metastasis. It usually occurs in people who have been previously diagnosed with cancer or have reached an advanced stage of cancer that is not curable. Once cancer has spread to the bones, it may not be curable, but reports suggest that its progress can be slowed down. In addition, a better understanding of how metastasis works is actively leading to new developments and treatment methods.
Types of Bone Metastases
Based on the primary mechanism of interference with normal remodeling, a process in which new bone tissues are formed and old ones are broken down into minerals, bone metastases can be classified as osteolytic, osteoblastic, or mixed.
While osteolytic bone metastasis happens due to the formation of too many new bone cells, such as in the case of prostate cancer, osteoblastic is characterized by the deposition of new bone, as in the case of breast cancer. In mixed, a patient has both of these components.
Chances of Cancer Likely to Spread to the Bones
As evidence suggests, nearly all types of cancer can spread to the bones. But some types of cancer are more likely to spread to the bone. It includes breast, prostate, and lung cancer. After the lungs and liver, bone is the third most common place for cancer to spread.
While cancer cells may spread to only one of our bones or many simultaneously, the most common sites for bone metastases are the spine, pelvis, and thigh. It causes pain and leads to broken bones; however, treatments can help reduce pain and other symptoms of bone metastases.
Symptoms
Below mentioned are some of the symptoms caused by bone metastases:
Bone Pain: Pain is one of the most common and primary symptoms of bone metastasis. At first, the pain may come for some time and go, but over time, it becomes severe and more painful. However, not all bone pain means you have bone metastasis. Consult a doctor who can help you identify the cause of your pain.
Fractured Bones: When cancer cells spread to the bones it can cause broken bones or more serious events. These breaks are often sudden and lead to severe pain. Fractures most often take place in long bones of the arms, legs, and the bone of the spine. A doctor can usually prevent the fracture by using medicines that strengthen the bones.
Nerve Problems: Bone metastasis compresses the spinal cord, which leads to multiple health conditions such as back pain, weakness in the legs, loss of control of urine or stool, etc. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, immediately contact your healthcare provider and seek treatment. Delaying it could worsen the symptoms and may even cause paralysis.
High Levels of Calcium in Blood: Bone metastases may lead to hypercalcemia, a condition in which the calcium levels in your blood are way above the normal limits. Loss of appetite, constipation, tiredness, and nausea are some symptoms of hypercalcemia. Your healthcare provider may give you medicines such as bisphosphonate drugs to bring blood calcium levels down.
Other Symptoms: When cancer spreads to the bone, it can also cause anemia, a condition in which, due to a lack of healthy red blood cells, an adequate amount of oxygen does not reach your body’s tissues. This condition can make you feel weak and tired.
Treatment Options if Your Cancer has Metastasized
Bone metastases are treated the same way as primary cancer. For instance, metastatic prostate cancer may be treated with hormone therapy. Along with treatment for primary cancer, the below-mentioned treatments can also be used for bone metastasis:
Bisphosphonates: These are medicines that slow down abnormal bone breakdown.
- Denosumab: These medicines can be used in place of bisphosphonates.
- Radiation therapy and radiopharmaceuticals: Radiation therapy is mainly used when many bones are affected. Under this treatment, a radioactive substance is put into your blood through a vein. The substance then gets attracted to areas of bones that have cancer. It kills active cancer cells and can ease symptoms.
- Surgery: Doctors may perform surgery to prevent or treat a bone fracture.
- Tumour ablation: It involves putting a probe into a tumor. Chemicals, electricity, heat, or cold elements are then passed to destroy the tumor.
- Bone cement: A quick-setting cement or glue can be put into the bone using a needle to help it stabilize.
- Other treatments: Other treatments may include physical therapy and pain medicines.
Conclusion
Bone metastases impact a patient’s quality of life and can eventually be detrimental; therefore, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to reduce complications early on. It may include an effective combination of a medical oncologist, radiotherapist, endocrinologist, orthopedic surgeon, and psychologist. Get in touch with Max Healthcaregroup to connect with a team of world-class oncologists and find bone cancer treatment best suited for you.
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