When Cancer Spreads to the Bone: Surgery for Metastatic Bone Disease
Last updated Thursday, December 13, 2007
Diagnosis and evaluationDiagnosis Cancer patients who
are experiencing new pain that suggests the cancer may have spread to the bone,
or new patients who have symptoms that suggest they may have an advanced stage
of cancer that has not yet been diagnosed, may have images taken to see if
cancer is appearing in their bones. Radiographic magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) may be ordered if X-rays are inconclusive. MRI creates detailed
anatomical pictures of the patient’s bones and soft tissues. The images are
then examined to see if there is cancer in the bone, and if so, how much damage
it has done. A patient might also have a bone scan to screen the entire
skeleton for any possible cancer.Diagnostic tests Metastatic bone
disease is generally diagnosed through imaging procedures, such as X-rays, MRI,
or CT scans, to produce clear pictures of the bones to see if and how they are
affected by cancer. In addition, the levels of calcium in the blood might also
be measured through a blood test, and other tests, such as looking at the blood
sample to see if the patient has anemia, might also be performed. These blood
tests do not diagnose metastatic bone disease, but are used to check for
conditions that might accompany the disease.Effects The imaging tests are
not painful. Patients need to hold fairly still for the technician to obtain a
clear image. A few patients are troubled by the confined space and the noise of
the magnetic resonance imaging machine. Such patients should tell their
physician or the imaging technician if they have a fear of closed spaces, to
get advice on how to manage this feeling during the imaging.
Much of the pain of diagnosis is emotional
distress, as the patient deals with uncertainty and with the possibility that
their cancer may have spread to the bone. Facing the possibility of metastatic
bone disease can be a big emotional blow to someone who has been free from
cancer for up to ten or 15 years, and who thought the cancer was potentially
cured. How people find ways to come to terms with this situation varies from
person to person.Health care team If the patient’s
personal physician or oncologist suspects metastatic bone disease, they may
conduct some preliminary exams and testing, and then refer the patient to a
medical center or cancer treatment center. At a major medical center, the
patient’s team will usually be made up of an internal medicine specialist, a
medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, a pain specialist, and an
orthopaedic surgeon, as well as nurses, technicians, and patient care
coordinators. Cancer care centers that
are part of major medical centers and cancer research institutions are ideal
set ups for optimal care of metastatic bone disease because all specialties
that treat cancer are represented, they work together as a team, and have
experience in treating metastatic bone disease.Finding a doctor People who are
suspected of having metastatic bone disease can be referred by their physician
to a regional cancer treatment center, to a major medical center, or to an
alliance of medical institutions that have joined together to diagnose and
treat cancer patients. In many cases, patients can also refer themselves or a
friend or family member to one of these centers. People can call a medical
center, a cancer research institution, or an institution specializing in cancer
care to learn if they have a special expertise in treating metastatic bone
disease. Patients should be careful to look at the qualifications and
reputation of any institution before becoming a patient of that center, and
especially check the institution’s expertise in treating metastatic bone
disease.Surgery for Metastatic Bone Disease at the University of Washington If you are interested in making an appointment to discuss this procedure, you can request an appointment using our online referrals website. To request a referral online, please click here. You can also call 206-598-4288 (outside the Seattle area: 800-440-3280) to make an appointment.
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