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Bone
Cancer is a hard lump felt on the surface of a bone that may or may not be painful.
What To Look For
pain or swelling in bones
and joints, often more intense at night, and not necessarily associated with movement; the
pain may be dull and constant, or may be felt only when pressure is applied.
spontaneous bone
fractures.
fever, weight loss,
fatigue, and impaired mobility, which sometimes occur in late stages of bone cancer.
Most benign bone tumours
are painless and those cancers that originate in the bone, cartilage or bone tissue are
not usually cancerous. It is rare to find a primary bone cancer victim.
Primary bone cancer
generally attacks young people, especially those who are unusually tall for their age. It
may affect teenagers, whose bones are in a stage of rapid growth. It can originate in bone
marrow or cartilage.
The likelihood of cure
depends on how early a tumour is detected and how spread it is. Benign tumours normally
are not a health risk.
Causes
Mostly, in cases of primary
bone cancer it is difficult to pinpoint an exact cause. There may be genetic connections
as certain Chromosome abnormalities have been linked with bone cancer.
Cancer is more likely to
occur in bones that have been fractured or infected in the past.
Exposure to chemicals in
some kinds of dyes and paints, may increase the risk of bone cancer slightly.
Traditional Treatments
When cancer is diagnosed,
the patient must get traditional, conventional treatment.
When it is possible, bone
tumours are surgically removed. If the cancer is in an arm or a leg, the tumour can
normally be removed without amputation.
It is a good idea to start
physical therapy quickly to aid recovery.
Radiation therapy and
chemotherapy may be given before surgery to reduce the size of the tumour, and radiation
may be used after surgery to kill stray cancer cells. (For further information on these
experimental treatments, see Cancer).
Complementary Therapies
For information on all
complementary cancer therapies, see Cancer.
Prevention
Always be careful using
paint, solvents, pesticides, household cleaners, and other products that may contain
carcinogenic chemicals - use them with car and abide by any safety warnings. If you have
ever been treated with radiation in the past, be alert for bone cancer symptoms and see a
doctor at once if they occur.
When to seek further
professional advice
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