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A tumor of bone

A tumor of bone – is a collective term which means a group of malignant and benign tumors of the bone or cartilage. Speaking about bone tumors, experts often assume primary neoplasm. They make up about 1% of all malignancies of the brain of the person. Most bone tumors are diagnosed in the male population in young or middle age – from 15 to 40 years. As for localization, it mostly affects bones of the limbs and pelvic bones.

Some scholars have used the phrase "bone tumor" to refer to secondary tumors, that is tumors that have arisen as a result of malignancy of exostosis, deforming chondromatosis type and other benign pathologies of bone tissue. Also secondary bone tumors are those that arose as a result of metastasis of malignant tumors located in other organs.

The most often diagnosed tumors affecting the bone are osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma and cm. At a young age in patients primarily diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. Modern science knows more than 30 varieties of bone tumors.

Growths can originate from bone or cartilage tissue, can be detected giant cell tumors, and intramedullary tumors. The intermediate type is a malignant osteoblastoma.

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The causes of bone tumors

The causes of bone tumors of malignant nature still remain unclear.

Scientists assume that to trigger the development of cancer of the bone tissue is capable of the following factors:

  • Bone injury. Despite the lack of 100% evidence, most authors agree to the assumption that the leading role in the development of primary tumors play a variety of injuries. Found that more than 50% of all patients with malignant bone tumors indicate that they had previously received bruises of the soft tissues of the extremities or joints;
  • Genetic predisposition. You should also not deny the fact of hereditary predisposition to this pathology. The risk of developing the disease in blood relatives is higher in the caseif there is a family history there are already cases of bone tumors;

  • Paget's Disease. Another reason, which, according to scientists, can aggravate the risk of formation of malignant tumors in humans is an inflammatory bone disease. In particular, we are talking about Paget's disease. People with a similar diagnosis have a relatively high probability of development of osteogenic sarcoma in adulthood and old age;

  • Metastasis of primary tumors and malignancy benign. Secondary bone tumors arise from the malignant transformation of benign neoplasms, or be the result of metastasis of primary tumors of other organs.

The symptoms of bone tumors

The main symptoms of bone tumors presented with classical triad of:

  • Pain. In the presence of a malignant tumor on the bone a person experiences progressive pain resistant nature. They have a tendency to increase at night. To stop this kind of pain with pain medications is very difficult. If feelings fail, it is very slightly. That is a pain is the earliest symptom of bone tumors, with the exception is Ewing's sarcoma. When this disease first appears swelling, and pain manifest later;
  • The presence of opukholevogo outgrowth on the affected bone. It is possible to probe when the tumor begins to increase in size. The tumor most often presents dense, painless and immobile conglomerate, prone to constant rapid growth. While tumors of bone benign nature grow much slower;
  • Disruption of the functioning close to the tumor of the joint.

You should specifically consider the symptoms of all malignant bone tumours:

  • The symptoms of Ewing's sarcoma. There is an increase in body temperature, which is celebrated to 50% of patients. Sometimes, it increased to impressive elevations to 39 degrees. Vascular pattern on the skin becomes more pronounced when you try to palpate the affected area you suffer pain. The limb increases in volume.The symptoms often grow rapidly, there is sometimes fulminant course of the disease, although it is not excluded periods of remission and exacerbation;

  • The symptoms of osteosarcoma. Statistics indicates that this tumor is the most common and accounts for about 60% of all malignancies of the bone tissue. Manifests itself in progressive pain. Most often affects the long bones above and below the knee joint. Characterized by increased vascular pattern, local increase in body temperature. The muscles located below the level of the pathological process, prone to atrophy. Joints that are close, often have limited mobility. For patients with a similar tumor characteristic pathological fractures;
  • The symptoms of chondrosarcoma. Chondrosarcoma usually progresses slowly, developing for 10 years or more. Symptoms lubricated. Most often, this pain and the appearance of opukholevogo protuberances, located on the bones. Pain have a tendency to increase with increasing intensity. The skin over the affected area of bone has a higher temperature, subcutaneous veins dilated. This tumor is most often diagnosed in older men;
  • The symptoms of cm. When fibrosarcoma the pain intensifies at night, progress slowly and for a long time not so intense to a person asking for medical assistance. Most of the manifestation of cancer before the first doctor visit is more than six months. This term for malignant neoplasms of the bone is quite long. As for the growth, it often provokes a change of the contour of the joint, which is located next to it. Fibrosarcoma is always stationary relative to the bone;
  • Symptoms histiocytoma. For malignant fibrous histiocytoma, which is very rare, characterized by severe pain and the presence of a tumor-like subcutaneous tumors, firmly seated on the bone.

Secondary malignant neoplasm of bone or cartilage are often formed on the background of tumors of the prostate, breast and thyroid, kidney, lung and uterus. Characterized by the above triad of symptoms.

Benign tumor of bone tissue

Benign bone tumors include osteoma, osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma, osteochondroma, chondroma. Most often a benign tumors develop asymptomatic, for a long time did not manifest itself. Pain, if there, islow intensity (with the exception of osteoblastoma).


Diagnosis of bone tumors

Diagnosis of bone tumors almost always begins with the x-ray studies, performed in two projections. It is also possible the appointment of additional procedures, such as angiography, tomography, CT.

Bone scintigraphy is a very sensitive method that allows not only to detect the primary tumor, but also provides information regarding the extent of guidance.

For the choice of treatment for patients with malignant bone tumours are performing aspiration biopsy, or open biopsy trepanobiopsy. This kind of research is crucial in terms of diagnosis.


Treatment of bone tumors

Treatment of bone tumors is based on surgery. If the disease was detected at an early stage of development, preference is given to organ-saving operations. When the tumor size is impressive, then shown amputation or disarticulation of the bone. Often this method is the only way to preserve human life.

In addition to the surgical intervention patients usually receive chemotherapy and radiation therapy. When deciding on the choice of a particular method of treatment, the doctor takes into account the sensitivity of the detected tumor type to different types of exposure. So, cartilage tumors can be removed only through surgery. Ewing's sarcoma responds well to radiation and chemotherapy, and surgery is in this case an additional treatment to use which you have the option not in every case.

Surgery can be radical and preserving. The first type includes amputation and disarticulation, and the second resection. However, in every case the tumor should be removed along with the muscle and fascial sheath, and the limb is crossed above the place where you have a damaged segment.

An action plan is drawn up depending on the type of tumor of bones:

  • Treatment of osteosarcoma. The tumor is removed quickly. If in previous years used the amputation, but now are increasingly conserving surgery followed by chemotherapy, which is carried out prior to surgery. Carved piece of bone replaced with metal or plastic implant. The prognosis is often favorable, and five-year survival of patients is about 70% (class="bb" osteogenic sarcoma);

  • The treatment of chondrosarcoma. The approach to this kind of tumors mainly complex. Chemotherapy is used in conjunction with a radiosurgery technique for removing moles. Prognosis after radical surgery is mostly favorable, the use of only radiotherapy gives a temporary effect, reduces pain and helps to extend the life of patients;

  • The treatment of Ewing's sarcoma involves conducting multicomponent chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. If possible, it will be removed the bone itself and surrounding soft tissue. Refuse radical intervention only in the case when there are contraindications to its conduct. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy is carried out before the surgery and after it. As for the forecast, the five-year survival does not exceed 50% (read more: Ewing's sarcoma).

All patients who were treated for malignant bone tumors, are put on to the oncologist. They are actively seeing a doctor for the first five years after the operation. In subsequent years, must pass inspection with the implementation of x-rays 1 time per 365 days.