Bone Cancer
Bone cancer, as pertaining to cancer that begins in a bone, is also referred to as primary bone cancer. Cancer that began elsewhere and has spread to a bone, is referred to as secondary bone cancer. Primary bone cancer is rare, with 550 documented cases in the UK annually.
Contact UsWhat is Bone Cancer
What is bone cancer?
Primary bone cancer, sometimes referred to as a bone sarcoma, while rare, can affect people of any age, including children and teenagers. It is slightly more common in men than in women.
Bones can also be affected by bone metastasis, whereby a cancer originating from elsewhere in the body has spread to the affected bone. Beyond that, there are several types of primary bone cancer, the specifics of which should be sought in consultation with a relevant health professional. For reference, some of the more common varieties of primary bone cancer are:
● Osteosarcoma
● Chondrosarcoma
● Ewing sarcoma
● Chordoma
We work together to combine the highest levels of consultant-led care and patient choice with the most advanced knowledge and understanding of the disease and its forms.
Learn More About Bone Cancer
The causes of primary bone cancer are not currently known, although as with several types of cancers there are a number of defined contributory risk factors. Unusually, many bone cancers affect children and teenagers, implying a link between bone sarcomas and developing/growing bones.
In many cases, there is no definitive identifiable cause for a bone sarcoma to develop.
Symptoms
In most cases, bone cancer causes area specific and persistent pain and swelling. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Problems moving around
- Tiredness
- Fever (high temperature)
- A break in the bone (fracture)
- Weight loss
Primary bone cancer is incredibly rare but it’s important to get any symptoms checked by your GP.
Diagnosis
In the case of a suspected bone sarcoma, doctors will generally perform the following tests in order to provide a diagnosis:
- Bone x-ray – An x-ray of the affected bone can give information about whether a cancer started in the bone (primary), or has spread from another part of the body (secondary). It may also sometimes help the doctor to define the type of bone cancer.
- MRI scan – An MRI scan uses magnetism to build up a detailed picture of areas of your body.
- Bone biopsy – A sample of cells are removed from the area and microscopically studied by a specialist.
Treatments available at Clatterbridge Private Clinic
The treatment you have for bone cancer depends on the size and location of the cancer, whether it has spread to other parts of the body and your general health. You may be offered a combination of treatments. Consultants at the Clatterbridge Private Clinic develop a tailored treatment plan for each patient best-suited to their needs. We have access to a wide range of treatment options, many of which are not routinely available on the NHS.
Surgery
Surgery is one of the main treatments for primary bone cancer. Surgery may include cutting out the affected bone and replacing it with a metal implant or bone from another part of the body, removal of the affected limb if the tumour has spread to the surrounding area or the removal of cancer that has spread to another part of your body.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer. It uses cytotoxic drugs to disrupt the cancer cell’s ability to grow and reproduce. You may be given chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the tumour, after surgery to help stop the cancer coming back, or to slow the growth if the cancer cannot be cured. Patients at Clatterbridge Private Clinic are treated within our state-of-the-art outpatient chemotherapy suite and have access to the latest drug regimes, some of which may not be routinely available on the NHS.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. Radiotherapy can be used after surgery to prevent cancer returning, before surgery to shrink the cancer, or as an alternative if surgery is not an option. At Clatterbridge Private Clinic, we offer advanced radiotherapy techniques such as image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), and three-dimensional radiation therapy (3D-CRT), and Papillon therapy which is specifically developed for treating radiotherapy cancers, all delivered by our expert radiographers.
