How Does Bone Cancer Develop?
About Bone Cancer
Bone cancers are one of the rarest cancers found in the United States with less than 2,500 cases diagnosed each year. These kinds of cancer originate in and affect the bone. The different bone cancers are named for the location in the bone that they originate from and affect. Osteosarcoma, is a cancer that affects the osteoid or the hard compacted part of the bone and is mostly diagnosed in children to young adult's. This cancer mainly develops in the knee and upper arm. Chrondrosarcoma is a cancer that occurs in the cartilage, which is the tissue that is found on the ends of the bones. This cancer mostly affects people over 50 years old and is commonly found in the pelvis. Ewing's Sarcoma is a cancer that occurs in the immature tissues in the bone marrow commonly found in the backbone, pelvis and arms and legs. The cancers listed above are called Primary Bone Cancers. Secondary bone cancers are the cancers that originate elsewhere in the body and spread (metastesize) to the bones. The prognosis, treatments and risks associated with these two bones cancers are very different. There are no known causes of Primary Bone Cancers but there are risks associated with developing these cancers.
Genetically Linked Medical Disorders
There are some diseases that increase your risk of developing primary bone cancers. Some of the disorders are genetically linked. Li-Fraumeni syndrome and the Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome are two conditions that predispose the patient to cancerous tumors. Children with Retinoblastoma (a rare cancer of the eye) have a higher risk of osteosarcoma and people with Multiple Exostoses (benign bone tumors) also have a higher risk of developing chondrosarcoma.
Non-Genetically Linked Medical Disorders
Having Pagets Disease increases the risk of developing osteosarcomas. Paget's disease which affects adults and the elderly is characterized by abnormal thick and easily breakable bones.
Radiation
Heavy doses of radiation such as the radiation therapy used to treat other cancers can lead to bone cancer. This was noticed when bone cancer can develop in the bones around the radiation treatment area. This cancer development is more noticeable when radiation therapy is given to a younger patient. Other common radiation sources such as X-Rays, cell phones, living near power lines and microwaves does not increase the risk of bone cancer.
Other Causes
Certain anti-cancer drugs that are used to treat cancerous tumors in children have been suspected to increase the risk of a child developing bone cancer. People with metal implants that were used to repair fractures also have a higher incidence of developing cancer. There are a few cases of patients developing osteosarcoma after a bone marrow transplant.
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