Causes Bed Sores

What Is Bone Cancer? What Causes Bone Cancer?

Bone cancer can be primary bone cancer or secondary bone cancer. Primary bone cancer started in the bone; the cancer initially formed in the cells of the bone, while secondary cancer started elsewhere in the body and spread to the bone. Examples of primary bone cancer include steosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and chondrosarcoma.

According to the National Cancer Institute, USA, it is estimated that by the end of 2010 there will have been 2,650 new cases and 1,450 deaths from cancer of the bones and joints. The National Health Service (NHS), UK, informs that primary bone cancer accounts for 1 in every 500 cancers in the United Kingdom. There are approximately 500 cases of bone cancer each year in the UK, making this kind of cancer a fairly rare one.

Primary bone cancer (tumor) - these can be divided into benign tumors - which can have a neoplastic (abnormal tissue growth), developmental, traumatic, infectious, or inflammatory cause - and cancers.

Examples of benign bone tumors include - osteoma, osteoid osteoma, osteochondroma, osteoblastoma, enchondroma, giant cell tumor of bone, aneurysmal bone cyst, and fibrous dysplasia of bone.

Examples of malignant primary bone tumors include: osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, fibrosarcoma, and other sarcomas. Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer which may include one or more bone tumors. Teratomas and germ cell tumors are frequently located in the tailbone.

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer. It usually develops in children and young adults. After leukemia and brian tumors, osteosarcoma is the third most common cancer among for children in the UK and the USA.

Ewing sarcoma usually develops in the pelvis, shin bone or thigh bone. 90% of patients develop this type of cancer when they are less than 20 years of age.

Chrondrosacroma usually develops in adults. It starts in the cartilage cells and moves on to the bone.

The outlook for a patient with malignant bone cancer depends mainly on whether it has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body). If the cancer is localized (has not spread), prognosis is usually good.

What are the signs and symptoms of bone cancer?

A symptom is something the patient feels and reports, while a sign is something other people, such as the doctor notice. For example, pain may be a symptom while a rash may be a sign.

The patient initially experiences pain in the affected area. Over time the pain gets worse and continuous. In some cases the pain is subtle and the patient may not see a doctor for several months. The progression of pain with Ewing sarcoma tends to be faster than in most other bone cancers. Typically, bone cancer pain is deep, nagging and has a permanent character.Learn More.....!