answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer
Definition

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

Alternative Names

Tumor - bone; Bone cancer

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The cause of bone tumors is unknown. They often arise in areas of rapid growth. Possible causes include:

  • Inherited genetic mutations
  • Radiation
  • Trauma

But in most cases no specific cause is found.

Osteochondromas are the most common noncancerous (benign) bone tumors, and occur most often in people between the ages of 10 and 20. Some benign bone tumors go away on their own and do not require treatment. These benign tumors may be monitored periodically by x-ray.

Cancers that start in the bones are referred to as primary bone tumors. Cancers that start in another part of the body (such as the breast, lungs, or colon) are secondary or metastatic bone tumors that behave very differently from primary bone tumors. Multiple myeloma often affects or involves the bone, but is also not considered a primary bone tumor.

Cancerous (malignant) bone tumors include:

The cancers that most often spread to the bone are cancers of the:

  • Breast
  • Kidney
  • Lung
  • Prostate
  • Thyroid

These forms of cancer usually affect older people.

Bone cancer was once very common among people who painted radium on watch faces (to produce glow-in-the-dark dials). The painters would "tip" the brush with their tongue (in order to produce fine work) and absorb minute amounts of radium, which deposited in the bone and caused cancer. The practice of using radium paint was abandoned in the middle of the 20th century.

The incidence of bone cancer is higher in families with familial cancer syndromes. The incidence of bone cancer in children is approximately 5 cases per million children each year.

Symptoms
  • Bone fracture, especially fracture from slight injury (trauma)
  • Bone pain, may be worse at night
  • Occasionally a mass and swelling can be felt at the tumor site

Note: Some benign tumors have no symptoms.

Signs and tests

This disease may also affect the results of the following tests:

Treatment

Benign bone tumors may not require treatment, but may be looked at regularly to check if they grow or shrink. Surgical removal of the tumor may be necessary.

Treatment for malignant tumors that have spread to the bone depends on the primary tissue or organ involved. Radiation therapy can be used locally to prevent a fractures or to relieve pain.

Tumors that start in the bone (primary malignant tumors of the bone) are rare and require treatment at centers with experience treating these cancers. After biopsy, a combination of chemotherapy and surgery is usually necessary. Radiation therapy may be needed before or after surgery.

Support Groups

You can often help the stress of illness by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems. For this condition, see cancer - support group.

Expectations (prognosis)

The outlook depends on the type of tumor. The outcome is expected to be good for people with noncancerous (benign) tumors, although some types of benign tumors may eventually become cancerous (malignant).

With malignant bone tumors that have not spread, most patients achieve a cure. Because the cure rate depends on the type of cancer, location, size, and other factors, discuss your situation with your doctor.

Complications
  • Pain
  • Reduced function, depending on the extent of the tumor
  • Side effects of chemotherapy (depending on the type of chemotherapy)
  • Spread of the cancer to other nearby tissues (metastasis)
Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of a bone tumor.

References

Baker LH. Bone tumors: primary and metastatic bone lesions. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 212.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Bone Cancer. National Comprehensive Cancer Network; 2010. Version 1.2010.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago
Definition

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

Alternative Names

Tumor - bone; Bone cancer

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The cause of bone tumors is unknown. They often arise in areas of rapid growth. Possible causes include:

  • Inherited genetic mutations
  • Radiation
  • Trauma

But in most cases no specific cause is found.

Osteochondromas are the most common noncancerous (benign) bone tumors, and occur most often in people between the ages of 10 and 20. Some benign bone tumors go away on their own and do not require treatment. These benign tumors may be monitored periodically by x-ray.

Cancers that start in the bones are referred to as primary bone tumors. Cancers that start in another part of the body (such as the breast, lungs, or colon) are secondary or metastatic bone tumors that behave very differently from primary bone tumors. Multiple myeloma often affects or involves the bone, but is also not considered a primary bone tumor.

Cancerous (malignant) bone tumors include:

The cancers that most often spread to the bone are cancers of the:

  • Breast
  • Kidney
  • Lung
  • Prostate
  • Thyroid

These forms of cancer usually affect older people.

Bone cancer was once very common among people who painted radium on watch faces (to produce glow-in-the-dark dials). The painters would "tip" the brush with their tongue (in order to produce fine work) and absorb minute amounts of radium, which deposited in the bone and caused cancer. The practice of using radium paint was abandoned in the middle of the 20th century.

The incidence of bone cancer is higher in families with familial cancer syndromes. The incidence of bone cancer in children is approximately 5 cases per million children each year.

Symptoms
  • Bone fracture, especially fracture from slight injury (trauma)
  • Bone pain, may be worse at night
  • Occasionally a mass and swelling can be felt at the tumor site

Note: Some benign tumors have no symptoms.

Signs and tests

This disease may also affect the results of the following tests:

Treatment

Benign bone tumors may not require treatment, but may be looked at regularly to check if they grow or shrink. Surgical removal of the tumor may be necessary.

Treatment for malignant tumors that have spread to the bone depends on the primary tissue or organ involved. Radiation therapy can be used locally to prevent a fractures or to relieve pain.

Tumors that start in the bone (primary malignant tumors of the bone) are rare and require treatment at centers with experience treating these cancers. After biopsy, a combination of chemotherapy and surgery is usually necessary. Radiation therapy may be needed before or after surgery.

Support Groups

You can often help the stress of illness by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems. For this condition, see cancer - support group.

Expectations (prognosis)

The outlook depends on the type of tumor. The outcome is expected to be good for people with noncancerous (benign) tumors, although some types of benign tumors may eventually become cancerous (malignant).

With malignant bone tumors that have not spread, most patients achieve a cure. Because the cure rate depends on the type of cancer, location, size, and other factors, discuss your situation with your doctor.

Complications
  • Pain
  • Reduced function, depending on the extent of the tumor
  • Side effects of chemotherapy (depending on the type of chemotherapy)
  • Spread of the cancer to other nearby tissues (metastasis)
Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of a bone tumor.

References

Baker LH. Bone tumors: primary and metastatic bone lesions. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 212.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Bone Cancer. National Comprehensive Cancer Network; 2010. Version 1.2010.

Reviewed By

Review Date: 03/02/2010

David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Bone tumors
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Are most primary bone tumors sarcomas?

Most primary bone tumors are benign.Malignant primary bone tumors account for fewer than 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States.


How many people a year get diagnosed with bone tumors?

About 20,000,000 (20 million) people are diagnosed with bone tumors each year.


What are the demographics of primary bone tumors?

Malignant primary bone tumors account for fewer than 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States


What has the author Louis Lichtenstein written?

Louis Lichtenstein has written: 'Diseases of bone and joints' -- subject(s): Bone Diseases, Bones, Diseases, Joint Diseases, Joints 'Bone tumors' -- subject(s): Bones, Tumors, Os, Tumeurs, Bone Neoplasms 'Bone Tumours'


What has the author K Krishnan Unni written?

K. Krishnan Unni has written: 'Dahlin's bone tumors' -- subject(s): Bones, Neoplasm Staging, Tumors, Bone Neoplasms


What is bone cancer and what are the physical effects on the bone?

Chondrosarcoma most commonly affects the bones of the pelvis and hips.Bone cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the bone that destroys normal bone tissue. Not all bone tumors are malignant. In fact, benign (noncancerous) bone tumors are more common than malignant ones. Both malignant and benign bone tumors may grow and compress healthy bone tissue, but benign tumors do not spread, do not destroy bone tissue, and are rarely a threat to life.Malignant tumors that begin in bone tissue are called primary bone cancer. Cancer that metastasizes (spreads) to the bones from other parts of the body, such as the breast, lung, or prostate, is called metastatic cancer, and is named for the organ or tissue in which it began. Primary bone cancer is far less common than cancer that spreads to the bones.


What are the types of bone tumors?

The types of bone tumors include benign tumors like osteochondroma and osteoid osteoma, as well as malignant tumors like osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma. Metastatic bone tumors can also occur when cancer from other parts of the body spreads to the bones.


What has the author Andrew G Huvos written?

Andrew G. Huvos has written: 'Bone Tumours' 'Bone tumors, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis' -- subject(s): Bones, Cartilage, Tumors


What has the author Fritz Schajowicz written?

Fritz Schajowicz has written: 'Tumors and tumor-like lesions of bone and joints' -- subject(s): Bones, Diseases, Joints, Tumors 'Histological typing of bone tumours' -- subject(s): Bone Neoplasms, Bones, Classification, Diagnosis, Histopathology, Pathological Histology, Pathology, Tumors


What conditions are treated with limb salvage surgery?

The procedure is most commonly performed for bone tumors and bone sarcomas,


What is osteoblastic lesion?

It is an abnormality seen on X-rays where the bone is thicker or more dense in a specific area or areas. Both benign or malignant tumors can have this appearance. More commonly, malignant tumors are osteolytic, which means the bone appears to have a "hole" in it on xrays.


What can cause a compression fracture?

Compression fractures can be caused by osteoporosis, trauma inflicted on the back, and tumors that have started in the bone. Tumors that occur in the spine also cause compression fractures.