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Cancer of the bone or bone cancer is a general term used when
cancer cells are seen in the bone. Cancer that begins in the bone is called
primary bone cancer. It is found most often in the arms and legs but it can
occur in any bone in the body. Children and young people are more likely
than adults to have bone cancers.
Primary bone cancers are called sarcomas. There are several different types
of sarcoma and each type begins in a different kind of bone tissue. The most
common sarcomas are osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma.
In young people, the most common type of bone cancer is osteosarcoma,
usually occurring between the ages of ten and twenty-five. More often, males
are affected than females. Osteosarcoma frequently starts in the ends of the
bones; where new bone tissue forms as a young person grows, usually
affecting the long bones of the arms and legs.
Ewing’s sarcoma usually
affects teenagers, and is mostly found in people between ten and twenty-five
years old. This cancer forms in the middle part (shaft) of large bones and
most often affects the hip bones and long bones in the thigh and upper arm,
but can also occur in the ribs. Chondrosarcoma is a type of tumor that forms
in the cartilage (rubbery tissue around the joints) and are found mainly in
adults. Other types of bone cancer include fibrosarcoma (malignant giant
cell tumor) and chordoma. These are rare cancers and most often affects
people over thirty.
The most common symptom of bone cancer is pain. However, symptoms may vary
depending on the location and size of the cancer. Sometimes firm, slightly
tender lump on the bone can be felt through the skin. Sometimes bone cancer
interferes with normal movements and can also weaken or cause bones to
break. Tumors that occur in or near joints may cause swelling and tenderness
in the affected area. Other symptoms may include fatigue, fever, weight
loss, and anemia. It is important to check with a doctor when you experience
these symptoms, but these symptoms can also be caused by other less serious
conditions.
Treatment for some bone tumors may involve surgery, such as limb amputation.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are effective in some tumors (such as Ewing's
sarcoma) but less so in others (such as chondrosarcoma). After treatment has
been done for bone cancer, it is very important that regular follow-up or
check-ups are done with your doctor, to be sure that cancer has not come
back and treat it promptly if it does. Check-ups may be physical exam,
x-rays, scans, blood tests, and other laboratory tests.
People who have been diagnosed of bone cancer may have many physical,
emotional, practical worries. They may worry that removal of a limb or other
surgery will affect not only how they look but how other people would feel
about them. Patients can be helped to overcome all these through special
support groups for youngsters with cancer and their families. The American
Cancer Society, for example, is a nonprofit organization that has many
services for patients and their families.
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