Bone Neoplasm
Bone Neoplasm Definition
Bone neoplasm, or bone cancer, is when new abnormal bone tissue grows due to excessive cellular division and proliferation. The bone tissue develops more rapidly than normal and continues to grow even after the stimuli that initiated it stops. This includes tumors or cancer located in bone tissue or specific bones.
Bone Neoplasm Diagnosis
To confirm the presence of bone neoplasm, routine diagnostic studies must be done on the patient. These tests include a CBC, serum protein electrophoresis, chemistry panel, sedimentation rate, urinalysis, arthritis panel, and plain films of the involved bones. A skeletal survey may need to be performed. To search for a primary tumor, bone marrow examinations, prostatic examination, PSA titer, thyroid scans, barium enema, intravenous pyelogram, chest x-ray, upper GI series, mammography, and lymph node biopsy may be required. CT scans may be helpful in helping differentiate the mass or the swelling. A needle biopsy or exploratory surgery and bone biopsy may need to be performed before deciding on what surgical approach should be undertaken to treat the patient.
Bone Neoplasm Symptoms and Signs
The most common symptom that patients with bone tumors experience is pain, but many patients will not have any at all, except for a painless mass. Some bone tumors may weaken the structure of the infected bone, causing pathologic fractures. There may also be joint tenderness and swelling on the area affected, and even lumps found on the bone itself. Anemia, fever, fatigue, weight loss, and fractures may also be experienced. The patient may also undergo movement problems. Most often than not, bone neoplasm is asymptomatic in its early stages.
Bone Neoplasm Treatment
Treatment of bone tumors is highly dependent on its type. Treatment for some bone cancers may require surgery, such as amputation of limbs and limb-sparing surgery (often combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are more effective in tumors such as Ewing's sarcoma, but less so in others like chondrosarcoma. Limb-sparing or limb salvage surgery means that the limb is spared from amputation. Instead, the affected bone is removed through two ways: by bone graft, in which a bone from another part of the body is taken, or artificial bone is put in. In surgeries involving the upper leg, limb salvage prostheses are available. The other surgery is called van-ness rotation (or rotationplasty) which is a form of amputation, in which the patient's foot is rotated upwards in a 360 degree turn and the upturned foot is then used as a knee.