Welcome to the bone cancer page!
Whether you or someone you love has bone cancer, you've come to the right place!
Bookmark us now for the latest infomation on bone cancer research, bone cancer
remedies, bone cancer risk, bone cancer prevention, screening, symptoms, diagnois,
treatment and support for all people that have bone cancer
Bone Cancer Overview
primary and secondary bone cancer
* Osteosarcoma
* Ewing's sarcoma
* Chondrosarcoma
* Spindle cell sarcoma (including malignant fibrous histiocytoma,
fibrosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma)
Primary and secondary bone cancer
A primary bone cancer is one that starts in the bones.
The cancer cells are bone cells that have become cancerous.
A secondary cancer has spread to the bones from somewhere else in the body.
The cells are like the cells of the original cancer.
For Example;
if you have had breast cancer and it spreads to the bone, the cancer cells in the bones will actually
be breast cancer cells
Normal Bone Tissue
Bone is the supporting framework of the body. Most bones are hollow. The
outer part of bones consists of fibrous tissue called matrix onto which
calcium salts are deposited. At each end of the bone is a zone of cartilage,
a softer form of bone-like tissue. Cartilage consists of a fibrous tissue
matrix mixed with a gel-like substance. Unlike bone, cartilage does not
contain calcium.
Cartilage acts as a cushion between bones and, together with ligaments and
some other tissues, forms the joints between bones. The bone itself is very
hard and strong. Some bone is able to support as much as 12,000 pounds per
square inch. It takes as much as 1200 to 1800 pounds of pressure to break a
femur (thigh bone).
The outside of the bone is covered with a layer of fibrous tissue called
periosteum. The bone itself contains two kinds of cells. The osteoblast is
the cell responsible for forming bone and the osteoclast is the cell
responsible for dissolving bone. Although bone looks to be a very unchanging
organ, the truth is that it is very active. New bone is constantly forming,
and old bone dissolving.
Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside the hollow bones. The marrow of some
bones consists only of fatty tissue. The marrow of other bones is a mixture
of fat cells and hematopoietic (blood- forming) cells. These blood-forming
cells produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and blood platelets. There
are some other cells in the marrow such as plasma cells, fibroblasts, and
reticuloendothelial cells.
How Is Bone Cancer Treated?
After a bone cancer is found and staged, the cancer care team will recommend
a treatment plan. This is an important decision, so it is important to take
time and think about all of the choices. In choosing a treatment plan,
factors to consider include the type, location, and stage of the cancer, as
well as your overall physical health.
Because many bone cancers are rare, it is often a good idea to seek an
opinion from a major cancer center that may have a wide experience in
treating bone cancers. A second opinion can provide more information and
help you feel more confident about the treatment plan that is chosen. Some
insurance companies require a second opinion before they will agree to pay
for treatments.
The usual treatments for bone cancers are described below. More specific
treatments are described in the ACS documents on specific types of bone
cancers, such as Osteosarcoma or Ewing’s Family of Tumors.
bone Cancer News
Bone Cancer Research Trust Calls For New Treatments For Bone Cancer
21 Jun 2009 at 1:00am
The Bone Cancer Research Trust is calling for new treatments for bone cancers affecting children and young people. This includes osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, the two most common forms of primary bone cancer.
Critical Role Of The Bone Microenvironment In Cancer Metastases - Treating Bone Metastases In Prostate Cancer Patients
26 Oct 2009 at 4:00am
UroToday.com - Most men with advanced, hormone refractory prostate cancer have metastases which occur preferentially in the skeleton (1). Why is this bad? Bone metastases are incurable and cause skeletal-related events (SREs) that contribute substantial morbidity: fractures, nerve compression, and severe bone pain.
Treating bone loss in breast cancer survivors
14 Sep 2009 at 10:00pm
(Loyola University Health System) Osteoporosis is a growing concern among breast cancer survivors and their doctors, because certain cancer drugs can cause bone loss. A new study has found that bone loss can be halted with a comprehensive regimen that includes both osteoporosis drugs and treatments that target secondary causes of bone loss.
Mechanism Of Bone Metastasis: The Role Of Osteoprotegerin And Of The Host-Tissue Microenvironment-Related Survival Factors
26 Apr 2009 at 3:00am
Prostate cancer, the most frequently occurring cancer in men, very often metastasizes to bone, as more than 84% of patients demonstrate skeletal lesions (1, 2-3). Although such metastases have been traditionally characterized to be osteoblastic, today it is well known that both bone formation and resorption are dysregulated and participate in the metastatic lesions (4).
PCF Funding For Bone Metastasis Research Supports New Drug To Improve Lives Of Prostate Cancer Patients
21 Aug 2009 at 6:00am
Twice-yearly intravenous infusion with denosumab, a new targeted therapy to stop bone loss, increased bone density and prevented spinal fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.
Denosumab increases bone density, cuts fracture risk in prostate cancer survivors
10 Aug 2009 at 10:00pm
(Massachusetts General Hospital) Twice-yearly treatment with denosumab, a new targeted therapy to stop bone loss, increased bone density and prevented spinal fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.
Ready for relapse: Molecule helps breast cancer cells to survive in the bone marrow
5 Jul 2009 at 10:00pm
(Cell Press) Patients who survive an initial diagnosis of breast cancer often succumb to the disease years later when the cancer shows up in a different part of the body. Now, scientists have identified key signals that support the long term survival of breast cancer cells after they have spread to the bone marrow.
Synergy Between Anti-CCL2 And Docetaxel As Determined By DW-MRI In A Metastatic Bone Cancer Model
26 Apr 2009 at 3:00am
UroToday.com - In the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, an international research group with Dr. Ken Pienta as senior author reports findings using diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) to image the response of prostate cancer (CaP) to treatment in the bone environment.
World's tallest dog loses leg to bone cancer
15 May 2009 at 1:12pm
GRASS VALLEY, Calif. (AP) -- The world's tallest dog is battling bone cancer that forced the amputation of one of his front legs....
Approved lymphoma drug shows promise in early tests against bone cancer
4 Nov 2009 at 10:00pm
(University of Rochester Medical Center) A drug already approved for the treatment of lymphoma may also slow the growth of the most deadly bone cancer in children and teens, according to an early-stage study published online today in the International Journal of Cancer.
Potential To Reduce Fractures In Cancer Survivors With The Help Of Space-Related Radiation Research
16 Sep 2009 at 5:00am
A research project looking for ways to reduce bone loss in astronauts may yield methods of improving the bone health of cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. It is well documented that living in the microgravity environment of space causes bone loss in astronauts, but until recently, little was known about the effects of space radiation on bones. Dr.
Studies: Bone drugs may help prevent breast cancer
10 Dec 2009 at 3:00pm
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- New results from a landmark women's health study raise the exciting possibility that bone-building drugs such as Fosamax and Actonel may help prevent breast cancer....
X-Rays Help Predict Permanent Bone Damage From Bisphosphonates
9 May 2009 at 3:00am
Breast cancer patients, individuals at risk for osteoporosis and those undergoing certain types of bone cancer therapies often take drugs containing bisphosphonates. These drugs have been found to place people at risk for developing osteonecrosis of the jaws (a rotting of the jaw bones).
Experimental agent reduces breast cancer metastasis to bone
2 Nov 2009 at 10:00pm
(Tufts University, Health Sciences) New research finds that a protein called ROCK is over-expressed in metastatic breast cancer and that inhibiting ROCK significantly reduces metastasis to bone. The in vitro and in vivo study suggests that ROCK may be a drug therapy target for breast cancer metastasis.
Bone-density drugs may lower breast-cancer risk
10 Dec 2009 at 9:38pm
Drugs already taken by millions of healthy older women to prevent bone loss and broken hips may also protect them from breast cancer, according to two observational studies that found women taking oral bisphosphonates developed about a third fewer breast cancers than other women.