BONE AND MUSCLE TUMORS SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENNTS

A bone tumor is an abnormal enlargement of cells within the bone. It may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Classification

It may be classified as

• Primary bone tumors

• Secondary bone tumors

Primary bone tumors: It originates in bone or bone derived cells and tissues.It can be divided into benign and malignant.

     Causes of  Common benign primary bone tumors

• neoplastic

• developmental

• traumatic

• infectious

• inflammatory

Examples are osteoma, osteoid osteoma, osteochondroma, osteoblastoma, enchondroma, gaint cell tumor of bone, aneurysmal bone cyst and fibrous dysplasia of bone. 

Malignant primary bone tumors are

Osteosarcoma: It is most common and affects males of age 10-25years old. It is rare in older adults. It is seen in long bones of the arms and legs around the kness where rapid growth takes place and shoulders of children. It has high risk of spreading to the lungs.

Ewing's sarcoma: It is most dangerous bone tumor which affects younger people of age 4-15 years. It is more common in males and very rare in  people age above 30 years. Middle of the long bones of arms and legs is most common sites for its occurance.

Chondrosarcoma: It is the second most common bone tumors. 25% of it accounts for malignant bone tumors.It originates from the cartilage cells and may be rapid growing or slow growing.It is most common in people above 40 years of age.It is more common in males than females and can potentially spread to the lungs and lymph nodes. It most ly affects the bones of pelvis and hips.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma: It affects the soft tissues, including muscle, ligaments, tendons and fat. It is most common soft tissue malignancy seen in people between 50-60 years of age. It most commonly affects the extremities and is about twice as common in males as females.

Fibro sarcoma: It is a rare form of bone tumors which is most common in people of age 35-55 years.It most commonly affects the soft tissues of leg behind the knee. It is more common in males than females.

Chordoma: It is a very rare tumor with an average survival of about six years after diagnosis. It is seen in adults above 30 years of age and is twice as common in males as females. It most commonly affects either the lower or upper end of the spinal column.

Secondary bone tumors: It originates in other sites and spread to skeleton. Primary cancer are cancer of prostate, breasts, lungs, thyroid and kidney that metastasize (spread) to bone. Most commonly spreading cancer to the bone are breast, kidney, lung, prostate, thyroid.

Causes

• Unknown (Idiopathic)

• Radiation

• Trauma

Symptoms

• Bone fracture resulting from injury (trauma)

• Bone pain may be worst at night

• A mass and swelling may be felt at the tumor site

• In case of benign tumors no symptoms.

Diagnostic tests

• Alkaline phosphatase blood level

• Bone biopsy

• Bone scan

• MRI of bone including surrounding tissue

• X-ray of bone

Treatment

Benign bone tumors may not require treatment but may be checked regularly if they grow or shrink. Surgical removal of the gumor may be required.

Treatment for malignant tumors that have metastasize to bone depends on the involvement of primary tissue or organ. Radiation therapy can be used locally to prevent fractures or to reduce pain.

Tumors that start in bone are rare and needs treatment at experience cancer treating centers. After biopsy, a combination of chemotherapy and surgery is required. As well as radiation therapy may be required before or after surgery.

Possible complications

• Pain

• Side effects of chemotherapy

• Spread of the cancer to other nearby tissues