Bone cancer
Bone cancer is a rare type of cancer. It can affect young children, adolescents and adults alike. Bone pain and fractures are usually associated clinical signs.
What is bone cancer?
Bone cancer is a rare type of cancer. It can affect young children, adolescents and adults alike. Bone pain and fractures are usually associated clinical signs.
A distinction is made between bone cancer of primary importance and that of secondary importance. The first form directly attacks the bones of the body. The second is the cause of the spread of a tumor, from another part of the body.
Added to this, several types of bone cancer are to be differentiated:
oseosarcoma : the most widespread bone cancer, most commonly affecting children and young adults (under 20 years of age)
Ewing’s sarcoma : affecting people aged 10 to 20 more
chondrosarcoma , which concerns people over 40 years of age.
Young patients (children and pre-adolescents) affected by this type of cancer may present a rapid spread of this disease, especially during the period of puberty. In this sense, this extent of cancer can interfere with the development of the entire skeleton.
These different forms of bone cancer can affect many different parts of the body and different cells. In this sense, the clinical signs as well as the treatments adopted will depend on the type of bone cancer.
Causes of bone cancer
In most cases of bone cancer, the exact origin is unknown.
However, there are factors that may be the source of an increased risk of developing such cancer. Among these, we can note:
exposure to radiation, as part of radiotherapy treatment for example
the presence of an underlying bone pathology. Particularly Paget’s disease
genetic factors, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, reflecting the absence of a gene allowing the body to fight against the development of cancer cells.
Who is affected by bone cancer?
Anyone can be affected by such cancer.
Certain types of bone cancer affect young people more (osteosarcoma or Ewing’s sarcoma) and others in older age (chondrosarcoma).
However, certain parameters can induce the development of such cancer: radiotherapy, genetics, bone disease, etc.
Symptoms of bone cancer
Bone cancer can affect different bones in different parts of the body.
In the more general case, it affects the long bones of the legs and forearms. However, other bodily locations cannot be ruled out.
The symptoms most often found are then:
bone pain, which becomes more severe over time and persists at night
the noticeable formation of a nodule in the bone
weakness in the strength of the skeleton (increased risk of fractures).
A child complaining of such symptoms must be seen by a doctor as soon as possible, in order to avoid possible consequences on his development and on his growth.
Risk factors
Certain risk factors can induce, to a greater or lesser extent, the development of such a cancer. Among these: exposure to radiation, genetic factors or even certain underlying pathologies.
Diagnostic
Generally, it is after a bone fracture or significant pain in the bones that the first clinical diagnosis is effective.
An x-ray then makes it possible to highlight an abnormality characteristic of bone cancer.
Other additional medical examinations may also be prescribed as part of confirmation or denial of the disease, but also to determine the degree of spread of the cancer.
