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Bone metastasis is a condition in which cancer spreads to the bones from another part of the body. It is often associated with breast, lung, and prostate cancer, but other types of cancer can also cause bone metastasis. While bone pain is the most common symptom, bone metastasis can also cause bone fractures, spinal cord compression, and high calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia). This can lead to a range of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, and confusion. Although there is no cure for bone metastasis, treatments such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery can help ease symptoms and prevent further complications.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Bone metastasis is when cancer spreads to your bones from another part of your body. |
| Common cancers that spread to bones | Breast, lung, and prostate cancer. |
| Other cancers that spread to bones | Kidney, melanoma, ovarian, and thyroid. |
| Most common symptom | Bone pain |
| Other symptoms | Bone fracture, high calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia), spinal cord compression, nausea, vomiting, constipation, confusion, loss of appetite, incontinence, weakness in arms and legs, paralysis, dizziness, dehydration, coma |
| Treatments | Easing symptoms is the most common treatment. Treatments include steroid injections, radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and pain medications. |
| Prevention | Prevention is the best approach. |
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What You'll Learn
Bone metastasis is caused by cancer that spreads to the bones
Bone metastasis is a serious condition caused by cancer that spreads to the bones from another part of the body. It is also referred to as metastatic bone disease or metastatic bone tumors. Nearly all types of cancer can spread to the bones, but some cancers are more likely to cause bone metastasis, including breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Bone metastasis can be the first sign of cancer, or it may occur years after cancer treatment.
When cancer spreads to the bones, it often affects the spine, pelvis, and thigh bones, but it can occur in any bone in the body. Bone metastasis causes complications such as severe bone pain, bone fractures, and hypercalcemia (high calcium levels in the blood). Bone pain is often the first symptom of bone metastasis and can be severe, affecting a person's quality of life. The pain may come and go at first, but it tends to worsen at night and with activity, eventually becoming constant.
Bone metastases weaken the bones, making them more fragile and prone to fracture, even during routine activities. This can lead to severe pain and further complications. Spinal metastases can press on the spinal cord, causing nerve damage and potentially leading to paralysis if not treated promptly. As the cancer breaks down bone tissue, calcium is released into the blood, resulting in hypercalcemia. This condition can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, and confusion, and, if left untreated, coma and kidney failure.
While there is no cure for bone metastasis, treatments are available to ease symptoms and prevent further complications. These treatments include pain management through palliative care, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Early detection of bone metastases is crucial to preventing serious health issues. Therefore, it is essential to seek medical attention and consult a healthcare professional about any concerning symptoms.
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Metastatic bone tumours cause bone pain and fractures
Bone metastasis, or metastatic bone tumours, is when cancer spreads to the bones from another part of the body. It is caused by cancer cells breaking away from their original site and spreading to a bone. Nearly all types of cancer can spread to the bones, but some cancers are more likely to do so, including breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Bone metastasis can be the first sign of cancer, or it may occur years after cancer treatment.
Bone metastases often affect the spine, pelvis, and thigh bones, but they can occur in any bone in the body. The condition can cause bone pain and fractures. Bone pain is the most common symptom of bone metastasis, and it can be severe. The pain may occur when at rest or at night and tends to progressively worsen. Pain may also be sudden and sharp, particularly in the case of a fracture.
Bone metastases can weaken bones, making them more fragile and likely to break easily, even during routine activities. This is called a pathologic fracture. Fractures most often occur in the long bones of the arms and legs and the bones of the spine. A break in the spine can cause sudden, severe pain in the middle of the back. Fractures can also cause weakness or numbness in the arms and legs and affect a person's ability to control their bladder or bowels.
Treatments for bone metastases aim to ease symptoms and keep the condition from getting worse. Doctors may use imaging tests, such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) scans, to locate tumours and determine the extent of the disease. Biopsies may also be performed to identify the type of cancer and its original site. Once the extent of the disease is determined, treatments such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery may be used to relieve symptoms and stabilise the affected bones.
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Cancer in the bone can increase calcium levels in the blood
Cancer that has spread to the bones, or bone metastasis, can increase calcium levels in the blood. This is known as hypercalcaemia or hypercalcemia. It is caused by the release of calcium from the bones into the blood.
Bone metastasis is when cancer spreads to the bones from another part of the body. It often affects people with breast, lung, and prostate cancer, but other types of cancer can also cause bone metastasis. Nearly all types of cancer can spread to the bones, but some are more likely to than others.
The most common symptom of bone metastasis is bone pain, which can feel like a dull ache that gets worse at night or a sudden sharp pain. Bone metastasis can also cause bones to weaken and break more easily. Other symptoms include difficulty walking or moving, and hypercalcaemia.
Hypercalcaemia can cause a range of symptoms, including confusion, constipation, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. If you develop any of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention. Treatment for hypercalcaemia may include drinking a lot of fluids, receiving intravenous fluids, and taking bisphosphonates to reduce calcium levels.
While bone metastasis can increase calcium levels in the blood, it is important to note that elevated blood calcium levels can also occur in the absence of bone metastasis in people with cancer. This can be due to the tumour creating a hormone that interferes with normal calcium levels.
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Spinal tumours can cause nerve damage and paralysis
Bone metastasis is when cancer spreads to the bones from another part of the body. It often affects people with breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Bone pain is the most common symptom, but bone fractures are also common. Metastatic bone tumours can cause bone pain and weaken the bone, making it more susceptible to breaking during routine activities.
Spinal tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). They can develop in the spinal cord, the tissues covering the spinal cord, or the bones of the spine. If a tumour continues to grow, it can cause damage to different tissues in the spinal column and press on the spinal cord, leading to nerve damage and paralysis.
The spinal cord contains nerve bundles and cells that carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body and vice versa. Tumours that develop on the spine or spinal cord are called primary spinal tumours, while those that result from cancer spreading from another area in the body to the spine are called secondary spinal tumours or metastatic tumours.
- Numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation in the legs, arms, or chest.
- Muscle weakness or spasms.
- Stiff back or neck.
- Loss of bowel and/or bladder control.
- Difficulty walking.
- Scoliosis or other spinal deformities.
- Paralysis in varying degrees and body parts, depending on which nerves the tumour is compressing.
Some specific types of spinal tumours that can lead to nerve damage and paralysis include:
- Hemangioblastoma: a benign tumour in the cells lining the blood vessels in the spinal cord, brain, or retina. It can press against and collapse delicate spinal cord tissue, leading to sensation and functional issues.
- Meningioma: a tumour of the tissue (meninges) covering the spinal cord and brain. It is usually benign but can grow large enough to be life-threatening and lead to loss of sensation, function, and partial paralysis.
- Neurofibroma: a benign tumour that grows on nerves, including those in the spinal column. It can place pressure on the nerves of the central nervous system.
- Schwannoma: a tumour of the cells surrounding the nerve fibres of the spinal cord, peripheral nervous system, and cranial nerves. They are often benign and rarely become cancerous.
- Spinal osteoblastoma: a tumour that starts from an overproduction of osteoblasts, which are normally found in bones. It can develop anywhere but is most common in the spine, hands, or feet.
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Treatments for bone metastasis include pain relief and surgery
Bone metastasis is when cancer spreads to the bones from another part of the body. It often affects people with breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Bone pain is the most common symptom, but bone fractures are also common. Metastatic bone tumours eventually cause bone pain, which can be severe and can occur when at rest or at night.
Bone metastasis can be treated with pain relief and surgery. Pain medicines are used to control the pain bone metastasis causes. Over-the-counter pain relievers or stronger prescription pain relievers may be used. If these do not work, a pain specialist may be able to offer more choices for pain relief.
Surgery can be used to stabilise bones and prevent or treat fractured bones. Surgical rods, screws, pins, plates, and cages can be used to stabilise bones. If bone metastasis causes a bone to break, surgeons may work to repair the bone. This may involve using metal plates, screws, and nails to make the bone stable. Joint replacement, such as a hip replacement, may be another option.
In addition to pain relief and surgery, other treatments for bone metastasis include medicines, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. Bone-building medicines help strengthen the bones and reduce pain caused by bone metastasis. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and relieve pain. Chemotherapy may also be used to treat the primary cancer. Hormone therapy involves taking medicines to lower hormone levels or block the action between hormones and cancer cells.
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Frequently asked questions
Bone metastasis is when cancer spreads to your bones from another part of your body. It often affects people with breast, lung, and prostate cancer.
Bone pain is the most common symptom of bone mets. Other symptoms include bone fractures, high calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia), and spinal cord compression.
There is currently no cure for bone metastasis. However, treatments such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery may be used to ease symptoms and prevent further damage. Pain medications such as codeine and morphine can also be used to manage moderate to severe pain.
While there is no direct evidence that bone mets cause muscle spasms, bone metastasis can cause nerve damage and affect your spinal cord, which may lead to muscle weakness and pain.
