Bone Cancer Stages
Bone cancer is a malignant tumor that starts from bone or supporting tissues. Cancer of the bone may spread to other parts of the body through blood and lymph vessels. Bone cancer stages are determined by how much the tumor has spread since it began growing and its response to treatment. Various methods are used to diagnose this condition, such as X-ray, CT scan, MRI scan, biopsy, etc. Stages include:-
Stage 0- This is the earliest stage. Cancer starts in the bone itself or at its surface. The tumor may be small, but it may affect nearby bones. This is also called carcinoma in situ (CIS). There are no symptoms, and there is no pain;
however, the condition can cause hip bone and skull fractures due to the pressure of growing tumors on supporting bone structures. This stage generally does not spread beyond the initial site.
Unfortunately, treatment cannot reverse this disease, and it’s usually treated after the completion of different stages by surgery for a curative purpose only. It includes a wide variety of molecules such as oligonucleotides, short interfering RNA (siRNAs), antisense nucleic acids (A-Nucleic Acids), aptamers, DNAzymes, peptide nucleic acids (PNA), etc.
Stage I- cancer has spread to the shaft of the bone or to the lymph nodes that drain the tumor.
This stage is divided into two groups:
(1) Early bone metastases are stable with no increase in size. Cancer cells are present in only one bone site with adjacent nerves and blood supply free from cancer. These patients usually have painless mass in the affected area, but they don’t feel sensation lessening or loss of function in any part of the body. They also have lumps for more than six weeks at the affected area due to complications with long-term disease progression related to painful bone lesions.
(2) Advanced bone metastases mean malignant tumors have spread to the other parts of the body such as lungs, liver, and other bones or tissues. Although there may be painless lumps at affected areas due to complications with long-term disease progression related to painful bone lesions, they do not stay for more than six weeks in most cases.
Moreover, cancer cells are present in more than one skeleton area (other sites besides the hip). These patients usually have painless mass in the affected area, but they don’t feel sensation lessening or loss of function in any part of the body. They also have lumps for more than six weeks at the affected area due to complications with long-term disease progression related to painful bone lesions.
Stage II- Cancer has spread to tissues next to the affected bones or nearby lymph nodes. It also includes non-skeletal structures such as muscles and tendons, nerves, or ligaments near the affected bone(s). Cancer cells may break off from a tumor site and travel in blood vessels or lymphatic channels through the body.
Therefore, they can form new tumors in other locations of the skeleton (other sites besides hip), including lungs, liver, pelvis bones & spine, etc. These patients usually have painless mass in the affected area, but they don’t feel sensation lessening or loss of function in any part of the body. They also have lumps for more than six weeks at the affected area due to complications with long-term disease progression related to painful bone lesions.
Stage III- Cancer has spread beyond the close areas such as nearby lymph nodes, and other organs or tissues may be involved besides bones. For example, metastasis can occur in the lungs, liver, spine, pelvis, kidneys, etc.
These patients usually have painless mass in the affected area, but they don’t feel sensation lessening or loss of function in any part of the body. They also have lumps for more than six weeks at the affected area due to complications with long-term disease progression related to painful bone lesions.
Stage IV- This is the most advanced and widespread form of cancer. Cancer cells can spread anywhere in the body, such as bones and tissues. For example, metastasis can occur in the lungs, liver, spine, pelvis, kidneys, etc.
These patients usually have painless mass in the affected area, but they don’t feel sensation lessening or loss of function in any part of the body. They also have lumps for more than six weeks at the affected area due to complications with long-term disease progression related to painful bone lesions.
Bone cancer stage 1 symptoms:
1. Lump near the bone:
If you have a painless lump around the bone, it is an early sign of bone cancer that you can detect. It can cause swelling and tenderness near your jaw or eye socket. This kind of tumor cannot spread but needs immediate action to kill it quickly.
2. Bone fracture:
People with advanced stages of this disease may directly observe their bone fracture without any apparent injury or incident. It is too much pain and needs surgery immediately to treat this condition.
3. Bone pain:
This disease causes severe and persistent aches in the affected area and makes movement difficult for the patient. The reason behind such intense bone pain is broken bones late stage; therefore, a doctor suggests radiotherapy or chemotherapy treat this problem.
4. Bone swelling:
The bone becomes so hard that the affected place of the body swells with fluid or pus. Swelling of bones is excruciating for patients, and they have to visit a doctor at regular intervals of time after diagnosis of bone cancer.
5. Bruise easily:
If you cannot understand how you get bruises on your skin, it may be an early symptom of bone cancer that needs immediate attention from the doctor. You will notice these deformities more if you record your injury day-wise because many people ignore minor incidents due to busy schedules, but this disease is treatable only when detected at the initial stage; otherwise, it becomes difficult for patients to handle all complexities surrounding them during late stages.
6. Bone fractures are also an early sign of bone cancer that familiar people can notice because it is harrowing and sometimes results in the death of a patient later.
7. Fever:
This disease causes fever too due to its severe attack on the human body, which causes pain and affects your day-to-day activities, so take immediate action. If you notice fever without any reason or injury, go for an x-ray or blood test for diagnosis.
8. Eye pain:
A cancerous tumor near the eyes may directly affect your vision power because it clogs your optic nerve, which results in severe eye pain apart from blindness at a late stage, therefore. See an eye specialist at regular intervals after detecting tumors; otherwise, permanent damage of the eyes is possible.
9. Tooth pain:
It may also give severe tooth pain if it affects the upper jaw that causes difficulty to eat the food, but in some cases, they are unable to open their mouth, therefore consult the dentist immediately after detection of kind of disease; otherwise, it may cause bleeding from gums.
10. Headache:
The majority of people ignore headache because this symptom occurs in all kinds of diseases due to various reasons but increase your concern if you observe headache without any apparent reason because it can be an indication of bone cancer in the early stage followed by other symptoms described above which ultimately ends in death if not treated properly on time.
How fast does bone cancer spread:
The speed of cancer spreading to another part of the body is known as metastasis. The cancer spreads through the blood and lymphatic system. It starts from the breast, prostate, uterus, and ovaries to the lung, liver, bones, and brain, making the patient’s condition worse because all over your body become affected by this disease.
cure for bone cancer:
1. Protection:
You can protect yourself from this disease if you avoid risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Moreover, never forget to do regular exercises and take a mammography test at least once a year after reaching menopause.
2. Diet:
Besides exercising regularly, maintain healthy diet habits that include foods rich in nutrients like green leafy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; moreover, do not forget to add calcium and vitamin D in your diet, which strengthens the bones and prevents them from cancer.
3. Meditation:
Don’t forget to include meditation in a daily routine that relaxes mind and body; therefore, successfully treat injury, stress, and anxiety because these factors directly lead to bone cancer if they are not taken care of on time, according to the doctor’s advice.
4. Control sugar level:
In many pieces of research, elevated blood sugar has been found as one of the significant risk factors for developing this disease so take regular medical checkups at least once in a year for diagnosing diabetes at the initial stage; otherwise, it leads you towards death by attacking all organs present inside your body including the liver, kidney, etc.
5. Surgery:
Sometimes radical surgery is required for removing cancerous cells. Otherwise, it spreads to other vital organs; therefore, take regular medical checkups and physical examination of the concerned area so that the doctor advises you accordingly about the treatment.
6. Chemotherapy:
This therapy helps treat cancerous tumors safely by using fewer side effects because chemotherapy controls cancer growth by attaching itself to the cellular wall, thus slowing down the expansion of malignant cells. Still, this treatment has some adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting, hair loss and bleeding from gums, etc.
7. Radiation:
The primary cause behind bone cancer is excessive exposure to radioactive radiation. Therefore always try to stay away from X-ray machines and radioactive materials because they directly cause harm if exposed to them for a long time.