| Bone cancer is rare and accounts for less than 1% of | | | | Diagnosing bone cancer involves a number of tests, |
| all new tumors. Not all bone tumors are fatal in fact | | | | including: X-rays and bone scans to show the exact |
| benign (non cancerous) abnormalities are more | | | | location and size of the cancer (these are always |
| common than malignant ones. Most bone cancers are | | | | done prior to biopsy), bone biopsy where a small |
| secondary and have been spread from another site. | | | | sample of the cancer is removed from the bone and |
| Primary bone cancer which starts in the bone is quite | | | | examined in the laboratory for the presence of |
| rare constituting less than one per cent of all | | | | malignant cells, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) |
| malignant tumors. They are more common in males, | | | | scan similar to a CT scan but uses magnetism instead |
| especially in children and adolescents. The most | | | | of x-rays to build three-dimensional pictures of your |
| common type of primary bone cancer is | | | | body. |
| osteosarcoma. This type of carcinoma usually affects | | | | Treatment |
| young adults. It can affect any bone, but the arms, | | | | The treatment and prognosis of bone cancer depend |
| legs and pelvis are more commonly affected. Other | | | | upon multiple factors including the type and extent of |
| less common forms of primary bone cancer include | | | | the cancer, the patient's age and overall health status. |
| Ewing sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and | | | | Tumors may be treated with surgery, radiation |
| chondrosarcoma. | | | | therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these. |
| Primary Bone Cancer | | | | Primary bone cancers: |
| The causes of primary bone tumours are not known; | | | | The tumor, surrounding bone tissue and nearby |
| however, adults who have Pagets disease (a bone | | | | lymph nodes are surgically removed. In severe cases, |
| disease) may have an increased risk. | | | | the affected limb may need to be amputated, but |
| Secondary bone cancer | | | | this is rare. Treatment may also include radiotherapy |
| Secondary bone cancer is the most common bone | | | | (x-rays to target and kill the cancer cells) and |
| cancer. It is a carcinoma that starts somewhere else | | | | chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs). These may be |
| in the body and spreads (metastasises) to the bone. | | | | given before surgery, to shrink the cancer and/or |
| The most common cancers that spread to the bone | | | | afterwards to destroy any remaining cancer cells. |
| originate in the breast, prostate, lung, kidney and | | | | Secondary bone cancer: |
| thyroid. | | | | Treatment depends on the treatment for the original |
| Reticulum cell sarcoma of the bone | | | | tumor, but usually includes chemotherapy, |
| A cancerous tumor of the bone marrow presenting in | | | | radiotherapy or hormone therapy. Surgery may be |
| more males than females. | | | | needed to strengthen the affected bone. |
| Leukaemia | | | | Prognosis |
| Cancer of the blood, which starts in the bone | | | | Overall, the chance of recovery (prognosis) for bone |
| marrow | | | | cancers has improved significantly since the |
| Symptoms of bore cancer | | | | development of modern chemotherapy. The chance |
| Symptoms tend to develop slowly and depend on | | | | of recovery will depend on a variety of influences; if |
| the type, location, and size of the tumor. The signs | | | | the cancer has spread, the type of bone cancer, the |
| and symptoms of bone cancer include: painful bones | | | | size of the tumour, location, the person's general |
| and joints, swelling of bones and joints, problems with | | | | health and other individual factors. |
| movement, susceptibility to fractures. Less common | | | | If the tumor is very small and localized, the five-year |
| symptoms include: unexplained weight loss, tiredness, | | | | survival rate is close to 90 percent. If the cancer has |
| fever and sweating. | | | | begun to spread, however, survival becomes more |
| Remember bone cancer is very rare so if you have | | | | difficult. The five-year survival rate is only about 60 |
| any of these symptoms it is likely to be caused by | | | | percent, and the prognosis is poor once the cancer |
| another condition. Always see your doctor if you | | | | spreads. |
| have for a diagnosis. | | | | Bone cancer in cats and dogs |
| Causes | | | | Bone carcinoma in dogs and cats can be a challenging |
| Although bone cancer does not have a clearly | | | | disorder. Osteosarcoma is by far the most common |
| defined cause, researchers have identified several | | | | bone tumour if dogs, usually striking the leg bones of |
| factors that increase the likelihood of developing | | | | larger breeds. Chemotherapy significantly prolongs the |
| these tumors. A small number of bone cancers are | | | | survival of animals with osteosarcoma when used in |
| due to heredity. | | | | conjunction with surgery. For dogs Cisplatin alone or |
| Diagnosis | | | | in combination with doxorubicin markedly improves |
| Bone cancer can present itself in any of the bones of | | | | survival time to a median of 8-10 months with the |
| the body, but it is diagnosed most often in the long | | | | percentage of dogs alive after11 months at 50%. |
| bones of the arms and legs. | | | | |