ANESCO ANSWERS ... BONE METASTASIS

WHAT IS BONE METASTASIS?
The spread of cancer from the area in the body where it
started to another part of the body is called metastasis.
Bones are one of the most common sites of cancer
metastasis. Some cancers are more likely to spread to the
bones, including breast, prostate, kidney, thyroid, and
lung. When cancer cells break away from the original
(primary) cancer, travel through the body, and form a
tumor in a bone, it is not called bone cancer (cancer that
starts in the bone). Instead, metastatic cancer is named after
the primary cancer. For example, lung cancer that spreads
to the bones is called metastatic lung cancer.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF 
BONE METASTASIS?
When cancer metastasizes to the bones, the bones can
become weak or unstable. Bones most commonly affected

include the upper leg bones, the upper arm bones, the
spine, ribs, pelvis, and skull. Bone pain is the most
common symptom. Bone fractures or breaks may also occur.
If a tumor presses on the spinal cord, a patient may feel weakness
or numbness in the legs, arms, or abdomen. Bones damaged by
cancer may also release high levels of calcium into the blood
 (hypercalcemia), causing nausea, fatigue, thirst,
frequent urination, and confusion.


HOW IS BONE METASTASIS DETECTED?
Bone metastasis may be found at the time the primary cancer is
diagnosed. Or, if a patient is having symptoms, a doctor
may recommend tests that detect it. The types of tests used
depend on the symptoms and where pain is felt. Tests used
to detect bone metastasis include x-rays, bone scans,
CT (computerized tomography) scans, PET (positron emission
tomography) scans, and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans.
Laboratory tests check blood or urine for high levels of
substances that damaged bones release into the body. A bone biopsy
 may be done if other tests cannot determine whether a
cancer has spread to the bones.


HOW IS BONE METASTASIS TREATED?
Treatment goals include stopping a tumor from growing or slowing
 its growth, preventing further bone damage, and managing symptoms,
such as pain. The treatment, or combination of treatments, used
depends on the type of primary cancer a patient has, the location
and number of tumors, the patient’s overall health, and which
 treatments the patient has already received.
Bisphosphonates, medications that slow bone thinning, reduce pain,
and decrease hypercalcemia, may be given. Bone metastasis in only one
area is commonly treated with radiation to relieve pain and strengthen
the bone. Surgery may be used to remove a tumor or prevent or treat
a bone fracture, and a special cement can be injected into a bone to stabilize it.
Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiopharmaceutical therapy are treatment
options if bone metastasis is in more than one area. You and your doctor may
also consider a clinical trial. The side effects of treatment can often be prevented or
managed with the help of your health care team.


ASCO Answers is a series of fact sheets produced by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ASCO is the world’s leading professional organization representing doctors of all oncology subspecialties who care for people with cancer.

http://www.cancer.net/patient/Publications%20and%20Resources/ASCO%20Answers/ASCO_Answers_Bone_Metastasis.pdf