Bone cancer is an uncommon form of the disease that begins in the bone itself. It can occur in any bone in the body, but usually affects the long bones which make up the arms and legs. There are several types of bone cancer, some of which primarily affect children and others which affect adults. The term bone cancer doesn’t actually include those which begin in other parts of the body and spread to the bone later on – it only relates to cancers which start in the bone. For the former, those cancers would take on the name of the area they began, such as breast cancer that has metastasized to the bone. It also doesn’t include blood cell cancers, such as leukemia, that begin in the bone marrow. The symptoms of bone cancer include fatigue, unintended weight loss, broken bones, bone pain, and swelling and tenderness in the affected area. If you have symptoms that are bothering you, you should speak to your GP as soon as possible. Researchers are still unsure what causes bone cancer, but they know that bone cancer begins as an error in the cells. This error informs the cell to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way which forms a tumour. There are thoughts that certain people are predisposed to develop this if it is a genetic problem in their family history.
There are several different types of bone cancer, which include osteosarcoma – this is the common form of cancer which develops in children and young adults. Chondrosarcoma begins in the cartilage cells and usually affects older adults. Ewing’s sarcoma is a less clear form of cancer, as researchers are unsure where it originates. This is also more common in children and young adults. Inherited genetic syndromes are thought to be one of the main causes of bone cancer, meaning that the genetic syndrome is passed down through families which increases the risk. Paget’s disease of the bone is a precancerous condition which increases the risk of bone cancer and is more common in adults.
You should be well prepared for your appointment if you are concerned about your risk of bone cancer – the more information you can provide your GP with, the better they can diagnose your condition. There will be a lot of ground to cover, so the more preparation you can do the better. Write down any personal information you can such as recent life changes or majorly stressful events that you’ve recently gone through. Your symptoms will be the biggest indicator, so write down a list of anything you’re experiencing, even if you think it might not be relevant – it could well be a symptom. You may want to take along a friend or family member for support, as there may be a lot of information to take in, so it might be useful to have someone to help you remember the details. You should also make a note of any medication that you’re currently taking as this could hinder any treatment or diagnosis. Bone cancer is less common than some other forms of cancer, but if it is caught early there can be a good rate of treatment success. The more aware you are of your body and what is normal for you, the better equipped you will be to spot the signs if something is wrong. If you’ve been experiencing the aforementioned symptoms for a few days without them dissipating, you should speak to your GP for advice.
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