bone cancer

bone cancer

Etymology: AS, ban + Gk, karkinos, crab

a skeletal malignancy occurring as a sarcoma or in an area of rapid growth or as metastasis from cancer elsewhere in the body. Primary bone tumors are rare; the incidence peaks during adolescence, decreases, and then rises slowly after 35 years of age. In adults, bone cancer is linked to exposure to ionizing radiation. Paget's disease, hyperparathyroidism, chronic osteomyelitis, old bone infarcts, and fracture callosities increase the risk of many bone tumors. Most osseous malignancies are metastatic lesions found most often in the spine or pelvis and less often in sites away from the trunk. These are referred to as cancers of the primary site and not bone cancer. Bone cancers progress rapidly but are often difficult to detect. Alkaline phosphatase levels are elevated in osteoblastic tumors, and serum calcium and urinary calcium levels are increased in highly destructive lesions. X-ray films, radioisotopic scanning, arteriography, and biopsy are diagnostic. Surgical treatment consists of local resection of slow-growing tumors or amputation, including the joint above the tumor, if the lesion is aggressive. Radiotherapy may be given preoperatively or as the primary form of treatment. See also chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, fibrosarcoma, multiple myeloma, osteosarcoma.

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bone cancer

Oncology Any malignancy of bone, which is usually 2º to, ie metastatic from primary tumors of prostate, breast, kidneys, etc; 1º BCs include osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma Clinical Intense–“gnawing”–bone pain Diagnosis Hx, PE, x-rays, Bx Lab ↑ Alk phos Treatment Depends on type and mitotic activity, location, size, extent of tumor

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Patient discussion about bone cancer.

Q. is there such thing bone cancer? if so what does it cause? i am asking because bone isn't a cell platform and cancer is cells that are multiplying by the dozen !!! is so also in bone , if there is such thing ...

A. hmmm...here is the picture again:
http://images.google.co.il/imgres?imgurl=http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/ssb/images/NM036b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/ssb/NM036b.htm&h=471&w=600&sz=78&hl=iw&start=3&usg=__41ScizyAIOw9o5Dy7ddUqBu9Nsw=&tbnid=oqT7BPisw6NjrM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dosteocyte%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Diw%26sa%3DX

Q. Is a bone tumor cancer? My son is 10 years old and his Doctor found a tumor on his bone in an x-ray he did to him. Is this cancer?

A. A bone tumor doesn't necessarily mean cancer. It could be a benign tumor and not a cancer one. Your son's doctor may then obtain a biopsy sample of the tumor. This involves taking a small sample of the tumor that can be examined in the laboratory to determine what kind of tumor it is. The biopsy can be obtained either through a small needle (needle biopsy) or through a small incision (incisional biopsy).