Bone Cancer: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
What is Bone Cancer?
Bone cancer occurs when cancer cells develop in the bones, growing uncontrollably and
harming the bone tissue. They can occur in any bone of the body, but are most commonly
found in the thigh bone, shin or upper arm.
Types of Bone Cancer
Depending on the types of cells and tissues where the cancer starts, bone cancer can be
classified into three main types:
- Osteosarcoma – This type of cancer develops in the cells where the new bone tissues
form. - Ewing sarcoma – In this, the tumour develops in the bone and its surrounding soft
tissues. - Chondrosarcoma – In this, the tumour develops in the soft connective tissue – the
cartilage that allows movement between the joints and bones.
Other rare types of bone cancer include –
- Chordoma – Tumour found in spine or base of the skull
- Fibrosarcoma – Tumours that start in the fibrous connective tissue at the end of the
bones - Giant Cell Tumour – Noncancerous tumours that get cancerous
- Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma – Aggressive tumours that start in the soft
tissue and bones
What Causes Bone Cancer?
There are several risk factors that cause bone cancer in individuals –
- History of previous cancer treatment – Radiation therapy or chemotherapy drugs
used to treat cancer in patients, may act as a trigger in developing bone cancer in the
near future. - Benign bone conditions – Although highly rare in nature, having a noncancerous
bone disease can also lead to the development of cancer cells in the bones. - Genetic factors – Inheriting genetic mutation that cause certain diseases like LiFraumeni Syndrome or retinoblastoma may also lead to bone cancer.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Bone Cancer?
In most of the cases, people with bone cancer do not show any signs, except for feeling a
painless lump. The most common symptoms of bone cancer include:
- Pain in the bones that becomes gradual and persistent
- A lump in the affected area that may feel hard or soft
- Unexplained swelling in the affected area
- Fever and fatigue
- Difficulty in carrying out basic movements
Diagnosis and Treatment of Bone Cancer
Diagnosing bone cancer involves regular imaging tests such as X-Ray, CT Scan or MRI Scan.
These are then assessed to get more information about the location and size of the tumour.
A healthcare provider or radiologist may also conduct a biopsy, extracting a tissue sample
from the affected area of the bone and assessing it in the laboratory.
Treatment of bone cancer depends on the stage of its spread. Stage 1 indicates that the
tumour is low-grade and has not spread. Stage 2 indicates high-grade tumours that have not
spread. Stage 3 indicates the spread of tumour to other regions.
- Limb-Sparing Surgery – The most common treatment for bone cancer involves
surgically removing the tumour and some healthy tissue around the bone. The
affected bone is then repaired or rebuilt with artificial or real bone grafts. - Amputation – Rarest of the cases, sometimes the entire limb has to be surgically
removed to prevent the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. In such cases,
the patient is rehabilitated with an artificial/prosthetic limb. - Radiation and Chemotherapy – These may be advised to shrink and destroy the
cancer cells completely from the body. After surgery, chemotherapy cleans up any
remaining cancer cells from the body to prevent any possible relapse.
While early detection is key in diagnosing and treating bone cancer, prompt intervention in
spotting symptoms that are far from normal are also required.
Best Hospital & Doctors for Treatment of Bone Cancer
At Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital & Cancer Institutes, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad, we have a
network of former Indian Army and veteran orthopaedic surgeons and oncologists to treat
patients with bone cancer.
Dr. (Brig.) Chetan Sood is the Director, Joint Replacement & Advanced Orthopedics at
Yashoda Hospital, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad. With an experience spanning over three
decades, Dr. Sood possesses extensive training and leadership roles in premier medical
institutions, including the Armed Forces medical services.
Dr. (Brig.) Arvind Kumar Tyagi, Director of Surgical Oncology & Robotic Cancer Surgery,
comes with an experience of over three decades and an exceptional career in the Indian
army. He specialises in bone and soft tissues including limb salvage surgery, head and neck
cancer surgery and has been practicing as a surgical oncologist across various Armed Forces
Hospitals in India.
Dr. Adarsh Kumar, currently practicing as Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology & Robotic
Cancer Surgery at Yashoda Hospital, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad comes with a decade-long
experience in the field of surgical oncology. His specialisations also include limb salvage
surgery, reconstructions and all type of neck dissections.
Dr. (Maj. Gen.) B.N. Kapur, one of the best oncologists in Delhi NCR, is the Director of
Medical Oncology with us at Yashoda Hospital, Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad. He is skilled in
treating solid organ cancer and also specializes in the treatment of blood and blood-related
disorders using all kinds of medical oncology modalities – chemotherapy, immunotherapy,
targeted therapy, etc.
Dr. (Maj. Gen.) Dharmesh is a highly reputed medical oncologist with 30+ years of
experience in medicine and oncology. He is known for his expertise in comprehensive cancer
care, chemotherapy and multidisciplinary treatment planning.
Dr. Col N. Chakravarty also comes with a massive experience of three decades in the field of
oncology. He is the Director of Radiation Oncology at Yashoda Superspeciality Hospital &
Cancer Institutes.
For appointment or booking-related query, please reach out to us on our given number (toll-free) – 9810709038/0120-4612000
