Research Finds Bone Cancer Requires Attention To Symptoms And Early Detection

Early diagnosis, widely encouraged by medicine, is one of the ways to combat bone cancer. In July, the month of the Yellow July campaign aimed at raising awareness about bone cancer, more is understood about this disease and how to treat it. According to physician Olavo Feher, head of the Nervous System Tumors, Sarcomas and Melanomas Group at the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (Icesp), primary bone cancer is more prevalent in children and young adults.

Feher explains that there needs to be a divide between primary bone cancer and secondary bone cancer to understand the progression of the disease. The primary comprises tumors that arise from skeletal cells, and the secondary is cancer that affects the bones but originates elsewhere. “Many of the consequences are similar, but it is important to distinguish them. Primary bone cancer is not a single tumor, we have a variety of types of tumors and it offers an opportunity for early diagnosis, which is important.” When it is primary, there are more chances of cure.

Attention to the signs
Some manifestations of the body indicate that there may be bone cancer. The first of these is pain, followed by other effects: “The increase in volume and sometimes the increase in temperature in the region, sometimes there is even a certain redness.” The doctor reiterates that they are often subtle signs and that they can be confused with a passing pain. To avoid this, patients, as well as physicians, must be alert: “Primary care physicians and those who will make the first contact with this patient need to be aware of the persistence of these signs, not just assume that it is a condition of bone, muscle or joint origin and only medicate symptomatically”, advises Feher.

primary treatment
There are systemic treatments for bone cancer such as chemotherapy, surgery and eventually radiotherapy, depending on the particularity of the cancer. In the case of bone metastasis, that is, when there is a significant advance of the cancer, this will require attention depending on the consequences on the bone and the risk of bone events. “We have metastases that hurt but do not weaken the bones and we have metastases that hurt and weaken the bones and sometimes create an imminent risk of fracture, so the treatment of the disease will depend on this risk”, he clarifies.

Metastasis differs from the treatment of cancer itself, as it is treated globally. “Metastasis will require special attention. Sometimes a bone metastasis that makes the bone unstable may require orthopedic fixation before primary treatment to prevent the bone from fracturing before, for example, radiotherapy”, explains the doctor.

Absence of preventive measures
There are no preventive measures for bone cancer. “The best measure to improve results is early diagnosis, there is no preventive treatment.” Some cancers may result from genetic alterations that increase their incidence, but early detection remains the best way to avoid complications. “Especially in the pediatric age group, these are tumors that, when detected early, have a relatively good prognosis and a relatively high curability”, concludes Feher.