Bone Metastasis – Symptoms and Causes
Understanding Bone Spread
Bone spread happens when cancer cells move from where they started to bones in the body. This can affect any bone, but most often appears in the spine, pelvis, and thigh bones.
While almost any cancer can spread to bones, breast and prostate cancers do this most frequently.
For some patients, bone spread might be discovered before their original cancer is diagnosed. Others may experience it years after their initial cancer treatment.
When cancer reaches the bones, it typically causes pain and increases the risk of fractures.
Treatment choices for bone spread include:
- Pain medications (from over-the-counter options to prescription drugs)
- Bone-strengthening medicines to reduce fracture risk
- Radiation therapy to target painful areas
- Surgery to stabilize weakened bones
- Targeted therapy based on specific cancer types
Unfortunately, once cancer has spread to bones, it usually cannot be cured completely. However, treatments can effectively manage pain and improve quality of life.
Symptoms
Bone metastasis can sometimes be silent, showing no obvious signs in its early stages. When symptoms do arise, they are often a result of cancer spreading to the bones and interfering with normal bone function or structure.
These symptoms may include:
- Bone pain
- Bone fractures
- Loss of bladder control
- Loss of bowel control
- Arm or leg Weakness
High calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia) can also occur, leading to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, constipation, and confusion.
When To See a Doctor
Visit your doctor if you have ongoing symptoms that concern you.
Be sure to tell your doctor about your full medical history, especially if you’ve had cancer before. This information helps doctors understand your current health concerns better.
Don’t wait too long if something doesn’t feel right. Early medical attention often leads to better outcomes.
Causes
Bone metastasis happens when cancer cells detach from the original tumor and travel to bones, where they start to grow. This process occurs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
Medical experts remain uncertain about what exactly makes some cancers spread. They also don’t fully understand why certain cancers move to bones rather than to other common sites like the liver.
Scientists continue to study the specific factors that direct cancer cells to particular locations in the body.
Risk Factors
Certain cancers are more likely to spread to bones than others. These include:
- Breast cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Prostate cancer
- Thyroid cancer
While any cancer can potentially cause bone metastasis, these types have a higher tendency to spread to bone tissue.
