Treatment of bone cancer in India : Omega Hospitals , Hyderabad

Treatment of bone cancer in India : Omega Hospitals , Hyderabad

Bone cancers are an abnormal growth of cells within the bone that may be benign or malignant (cancerous). The cause of bone tumors is unknown. They often arise in areas of rapid growth. Possible causes include inherited mutations, trauma and radiation, but in most cases no specific cause is found for bone tumors.

Chondroblastoma: It is a rare type of bone tumor that can affect people of all ages. It is usually found in the epiphyses of long bones before epiphyseal closure. They are found in the secondary centers of ossification and account for 5% of benign bone tumors. Tumors are most likely found in the humerus, followed by the femur and then the tibia. Chondroblastomas may be found in association with aneurismal bone cysts.

Enchondroma: An enchondroma is a type of benign (non-cancerous) bone tumor that originates from cartilage. Cartilage is the specialized, gristly connective tissue that is present in adults and the tissue from which most bones develop. An enchondroma most often affects the cartilage that lines the inside of the bones.

Osteochondroma: Also called osteocartilaginous exostoses, osteochondroma is an overgrowth of cartilage and bone near the end of the bone near the growth plate. This type of overgrowth can occur in any bone where cartilage eventually forms bone. Most commonly, it affects the long bones in the leg, the pelvis, or scapula.

Giant Cell Tumor: A giant cell tumor is one that is made up of a large number of benign (non-cancerous) cells that form an aggressive tumor - usually near the end of the bone near a joint. The location of a giant cell tumor is often in the knee, but can also involve the bones of the arms and the legs, or the flat bones such as the sternum (breastbone) or pelvis. The tumor is often coated by new bony growth.

Treatments for Bone Cancer and Procedures

There are many different methods available for your doctor to treat bone cancer. The best treatment is based on the type of bone cancer, the location of the cancer, how aggressive the cancer is, and whether or not the cancer has invaded surrounding or distant tissues (metastasized). There are three main types of treatment for bone cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. These can be used either individually or combined with each other.

Surgery: It is often used to treat bone cancer. The goal of surgery is usually to remove the entire tumor and a surrounding area of normal bone. After the tumor has been removed, a pathologist examines it to determine if there is normal bone completely surrounding the tumor. Depending on the amount of bone removed, the surgeon will replace either bone cement or a bone graft from another place in the body or from the bone bank.

Chemotherapy: The medical oncology department uses various medications to try to stop the growth of the cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be used prior to surgery to try to shrink the bone tumor to make surgery easier. It can also be used after surgery to try to kill any remaining cancer cells left following surgery. Radiation Therapy: The radiation oncology department uses high-energy x-ray aimed at the site of the cancer to try to kill the cancer cells. This treatment is given in small doses daily over a period of days to months.

 Advanced imaging technology that can be used to detect bone cancer:-

·         Computerized Tomography (CT)

·         Nuclear Medicine

·         MRI

·         Ultrasound

·         PET Fusion