Secondary bone cancer, also known as bone metastases, is a type of cancer that causes bone pain and joint swelling, for example. But before bones have been affected, a malignant tumor has developed elsewhere in the body, such as the lung or prostate, and cancer cells from the primary tumor travel through the blood or lymph to the bones.
Secondary cancer in the bone, may arise due to any type of tumor, however the types that are most likely to spread to the bones are the tumor in the breast, lung, prostate, kidney and thyroid.
In addition, the secondary cancer in the bones usually has no cure because it appears in a very advanced state of the cancer, being its palliative treatment, maintaining the comfort of the patient to diminish the discomfort and the pain.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of secondary bone cancer can be:
- Pain in the bones, very intense during the rest and mainly at night, not being relieved by taking analgesics;
- Swelling of joints;
- Difficulty of movement;
- Fractures without apparent cause;
- Fever;
- Weight loss for no apparent reason;
- Pain in the muscles.
In addition, there are changes in blood tests, such as very high calcium values.
How to identify
To identify this type of cancer is necessary to make a scintigram that allows to detect metastases. Here's how the test is done in: Bone scintigraphy.
After this diagnostic examination, it is recommended to perform an x-ray, a CT scan and an MRI to confirm the diagnosis and start the most appropriate treatment.
Treatment for secondary bone cancer
The treatment for secondary bone cancer, in most cases is palliative, to relieve discomfort and pain, being given very strong analgesics such as morphine and anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids, for example.
The patient can stay in the hospital or stay home with the family, and it is more important to maintain the patient's well-being. See more details about treatment in: How Bone Cancer Treatment is Done.
