Primary bone cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the bone, as distinguished from secondary bone cancer, which is cancer that has spread to the bone from another location. Primary bone cancers are rare.
If you are diagnosed with a cancerous bone tumor, the first step you can take is to get as much information from your healthcare provider as possible. Write down the information or have your doctor write it down for you. Obtain certain medical records, such as imaging studies. You may also wish to bring a friend or family member to your appointment.
The Mayo Clinic recommends asking your doctor the following questions, along with any other questions you think of:
If you have other medical conditions, be sure to ask how cancer treatments will affect them, or if they will affect how you can be treated for cancer.
You may wish to ask your doctor about a bone cancer prognosis, but if you do, remember that a prognosis is nothing more than a guess made by a healthcare provider based on statistics. A bone cancer prognosis is determined by how other people have fared, rather than on your individual case.
Possible treatments for primary bone cancer depend on the type of cancer you have, how advanced the cancer is, your overall health, what you want and where you receive treatment. Surgery to remove the tumor is the most common treatment for primary bone cancer. Surgery may or may not be combined with chemotherapy or radiation.
Sometimes an alternative to traditional surgery is cryosurgery, which uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and kill cancer cells. Another treatment option may be immunotherapy, which is a drug therapy designed to help your body defend itself against the cancer cells.
As you think about choosing a treatment, remember that many bone cancers are treatable and that different doctors/medical facilities may offer you different options. Getting a second or even third opinion is always a good idea.
American Cancer Society. (2010). Bone cancer. Retrieved September 23, 2010, from http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BoneCancer/DetailedGuide/bone-cancer-pdf.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America. (2009). Bone cancer treatments – conventional treatments. Retrieved September 23, 2010, from http://www.cancercenter.com/bone-cancer/bone-cancer-treatment.cfm.
Mayo Clinic. (2009). Bone cancer. Retrieved September 23, 2010, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/bone-cancer/DS00520/DSECTION=all
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