Multiple myeloma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor but is often considered a marrow cell tumor within the bone rather than a bone tumor because it is of hematopoietic derivation (see also Multiple Myeloma). It occurs mostly in older adults.
Bone cancer develops in the skeletal system and destroys tissue. It can spread to distant organs, such as the lungs. The usual treatment for bone cancer is surgery, and it has a good outlook following early diagnosis and management.
The prognosis, or outlook, for survival for bone cancer patients depends upon the particular type of cancer and the extent to which it has spread. The overall five-year survival rate for all bone cancers in adults and children is about 70%. Chondrosarcomas in adults have an overall five-year survival rate of about 80%.
Solitary Osteocartilaginous Exostosis (OCE) or Osteochondroma: Unlike many of the tumors mentioned above, this benign bone tumor is caused by a genetic defect. It appears as a hard, painless, stationary lump at the end of a bone, with a cartilage cap that allows it to continue to grow.
Examples of Malignant Bone TumorsMalignant tumors can spread throughout the body through the lymph system and bloodstream. They typically grow faster than benign tumors.
Bone metastasis may not be curable, but treatment may help people live longer and feel better. The exact mechanism of how cancer cells metastasize to the bones isn't fully known. It's a very active area of scientific research. New understanding of how metastasis works is continuing to lead to new methods of treatment.
Survival by tumour type
| Tumour type | 5-year relative survival |
|---|
| chondrosarcoma (the most common adult bone cancer) | 80% |
| osteosarcoma, localized (stages 1, 2 and 3) | 60% to 80% |
| osteosarcoma, metastatic to lungs only (stage 4) | 40% |
| osteosarcoma, metastatic to other organs (stage 4) | 15% to 30% |
The only way to be certain if a tumor is benign or malignant is with a pathology examination. While benign tumors rarely become malignant, some adenomas and leiomyomas may develop into cancer and should be removed.
Benign tumors may be painless, but often they cause bone pain. The pain can be severe. Pain may occur when at rest or at night and tends to progressively worsen. (See also Overview of Bone Tumors.)
The most common treatment for aneurysmal bone cyst and other benign tumors such as chondroblastoma, enchondroma, osteoblastoma, and chondromyxoid fibroma is marginal extracapsular excision using a high-speed drill and filling the cavity with autogenous bone graft or allograft.
Benign tumors can grow but do not spread. There is no way to tell from symptoms alone if a tumor is benign or malignant. Often an MRI scan can reveal the tumor type, but in many cases, a biopsy is required. If you are diagnosed with a benign brain tumor, you're not alone.
They can feel firm or soft. Benign masses are more likely to be painful to the touch, such as with an abscess. Benign tumors also tend to grow more slowly, and many are smaller than 5 cm (2 inches) at their longest point. Sarcomas (cancerous growths) more often are painless.
Examples include polyps that form in the colon or growths on the liver. Lipomas grow from fat cells and are the most common type of benign tumor, according to the Cleveland Clinic. They are often found on the back, arms, or neck. They are usually soft and round, and can be moved slightly under the skin.
The earliest symptoms of bone sarcoma are pain and swelling where the tumor is located. The pain may come and go at first. Then it can become more severe and steady later. The pain may get worse with movement, and there may be swelling in nearby soft tissue.
Most bone lesions are benign, meaning they are not cancerous or life-threatening. There are also some diseases and conditions that resemble bone lesions. Causes of benign bone lesions include: non-ossifying fibroma.
Scientists have found that for most breast and bowel cancers, the tumours begin to grow around ten years before they're detected. And for prostate cancer, tumours can be many decades old. “They've estimated that one tumour was 40 years old. Sometimes the growth can be really slow,” says Graham.
"Malignant brain tumours can be transformed into benign forms." ScienceDaily.
While imaging tests, such as X-rays, are helpful in detecting masses or areas of abnormality, they alone can't differentiate cancerous cells from noncancerous cells. For the majority of cancers, the only way to make a definitive diagnosis is to perform a biopsy to collect cells for closer examination.
Common symptoms include:
- severe, persistent headaches.
- seizures (fits)
- persistent nausea, vomiting and drowsiness.
- mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality.
- progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, vision problems, or speech problems.
For example, benign tumors are mostly well differentiated and malignant tumors are often undifferentiated. However, undifferentiated benign tumors and differentiated malignant tumors can occur. Although benign tumors generally grow slowly, cases of fast-growing benign tumors have also been documented.
In its early stages, soft tissue malignant tumors rarely cause any symptoms. Because soft tissue is very elastic, the tumors can grow quite large before they are felt. The first symptom is usually a painless lump. As the tumor grows and begins to press against nearby nerves and muscles, pain or soreness can occur.
Bumps that are cancerous are typically large, hard, painless to the touch and appear spontaneously. The mass will grow in size steadily over the weeks and months. Cancerous lumps that can be felt from the outside of your body can appear in the breast, testicle, or neck, but also in the arms and legs.
Thus, characteristics of malignant neoplasms include:
- More rapid increase in size.
- Less differentiation (or lack of differentiation, called anaplasia)
- Tendency to invade surrounding tissues.
- Ability to metastasize to distant tissues.
Examples of fast-growing cancers include: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) certain breast cancers, such as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) large B-cell lymphoma.
Most bone tumors are benign (not cancerous). Benign tumors are usually not life-threatening and, in most cases, will not spread to other parts of the body. Depending upon the type of tumor, treatment options are wide-ranging—from simple observation to surgery to remove the tumor.
Bone cancer can begin in any bone in the body, but it most commonly affects the pelvis or the long bones in the arms and legs. Bone cancer is rare, making up less than 1 percent of all cancers. In fact, noncancerous bone tumors are much more common than cancerous ones.
Osteosarcoma. More than 40 out of 100 people (more than 40%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis. Survival is better for younger people than older people. For those younger than 40, more than 50 out of 100 people (more than 50%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more.
The following are signs and symptoms that suggest a person with cancer may be entering the final weeks of life: Worsening weakness and exhaustion. A need to sleep much of the time, often spending most of the day in bed or resting. Weight loss and muscle thinning or loss.
Most bone cancers show up on x-rays of the bone. The bone at the site of the cancer may look “ragged” instead of solid. The cancer can also appear as a hole in the bone. Sometimes doctors can see a tumor around the defect in the bone that might extend into nearby tissues (such as muscle or fat).
