When Cancer Spreads to the Bone: Surgery for Metastatic Bone Disease
Last updated Thursday, December 13, 2007
Incidence and risk factorsIncidence Metastatic bone
disease is more likely to occur in patients with a history of lung cancer,
breast cancer, or prostate cancer. It is less likely to occur from cancers of
the gastrointestinal system, such as colon cancer, stomach cancer, or
pancreatic cancer. It is equally common in men and in women.Acquisition Metastatic bone
disease occurs when cancer cells from another area of the body –the breast, the
lung, or other organ – travel through the blood stream and attach themselves to
bone. There are factors circulating in the blood stream that give cancer cells
a predilection for setting up shop in bone. The skeleton is highly
vascularized, that is, a lot of blood vessels feed into it. Living bone is not
in the dry, unchanging state seen in the skeletons displayed in high school
biology classes. Instead it is constantly remodeling itself. Its dynamic
nature, with a lot of cell turnover, makes bone susceptible to invasion by
cancer cells from elsewhere in the body.Genetics enetics plays a role
in a person’s risk of developing the original cancer in another part of the
body. For example, certain genes put women at risk for breast cancer, some
forms of breast cancer run in families, and breast cancer is more likely than
some other forms of cancer to spread to the bone. However, metastatic bone
cancer doesn’t run in families, and as yet no genes have been discovered that
either place people at risk for metastatic bone cancer or protect them from it.
Metastatic bone disease is usually a consequence of not being able to
completely destroy the original cancer or the result of chemotherapy that
failed or that was not fully effective.Communicability Metastatic bone
cancer is not contagious. It cannot be spread from person to person.Lifestyle risk factors Certain behaviors,
life factors, and habits can put people at greater risk for the kinds of
cancers that might lead to metastatic bone disease, but not at greater risk for
metastatic bone disease itself. For example, smokers are more likely to get
lung cancer. Women who are obese or childless are at greater risk for breast
cancer.Injury & trauma risk factors There is no evidence
that injury or trauma leads to metastatic bone cancer.Prevention The only way to
prevent metastatic bone disease is through good control of the cancer that
originated elsewhere in the body.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.
How useful was this page or article?
|
|