10 Bone Cancer Symptoms
Cancer is a terrible disease that has inflicted man, and other animals, for millennia. Once a malignant cancer takes hold then the victim often only has so long to live. With modern medicine, though, we are often able to fight back and, in many cases, even cure the victim of the condition.
There are many forms of cancer, and bone cancer is on the list. As the name suggests, it affects the bones, leading to a variety of very unpleasant symptoms. Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. As with other forms of cancer, getting a diagnosis early on can help the patient’s chances considerably.
Symptom #1: Weight Loss
If you are rapidly losing weigh for no apparent reason, then there may be something very wrong. There are a number of reasons why you would lose weight rapidly, and one of them is bone cancer. If you are shedding the pounds and you cannot explain why then you really should book an appointment with a doctor.
According to CancerCare, weight loss occurs secondary to the body producing chemicals that cause “weight loss, muscle loss, and a decrease in appetite.” Decrease in appetite can also be related to side effects of cancer treatment. Regardless of the suspected cause for unexplained weight loss, it is a very alarming symptom that deserves professional medical advice as soon as possible.
Symptom #2: Pain
Bone cancer causes a disruption in the normal remodeling behavior of bone; therefore damage to the bone tissue occurs which causes pain. The pain may be short-lived to begin with but will become constantly present as the cancer spreads and worsens.
The pain is often described as a deep, dull ache. The pain tends to worsen at night and when the sufferer is moving, sufferers with bone cancer in the legs are likely to acquire a limp. As with any constant sensation of pain, it is advisable to seek advice from a medical professional.
Symptom #3: Bone Fractures
Our bones are made from strong materials that help to support our bodies, and they are usually able to take quite a lot of punishment. It would usually take quite a significant trauma for them to break. Bone cancer, however, weakens the structure of the bones making it significantly easier for them to break.
If the bones are weak enough, then they might break simply by standing on them. This fragility obviously leads to some very painful, and very dangerous, situations. Bones fracturing so easily is a strong indicator that bone cancer is present, although it’s likely a diagnosis has been made by this time anyway.
Symptom #4: Fatigue
Bone cancer ravages the body if it is able to spread sufficiently. The body’s response to cancer requires quite a bit of energy which sufferer feeling constantly exhausted. To make matters worse, they are also likely to lose their appetite, and their intake of calories and nutrients will drop well below what they need.
By now, the patient will often be diagnosed and receiving treatment, which would often involve chemotherapy which in itself can be tiring. Sufferers will become increasingly inactive and will also lose likely lose weight due to their loss of appetite. It is normal for cancer sufferers to be given dietary supplements to help prove them with the nutrition that they need.
Symptom #5: Inflammation
When a cancer develops it causes swelling in nearby tissues. Swelling doesn’t always take place and is most common in areas where there is a high density of nerves and other tissues. This can be quite tender and sore to the touch and can also be visibly red externally.
Swelling can get worse as the cancer develops and can become increasingly painful. Such inflammation is often treated with anti-inflammatory medicines and pain-killers to help make the patient feel more comfortable. Any unexplained swelling could be an indicator that something is not right, and that you should make an appointment to see a doctor.
Symptom #6: Lack of Sleep
Bone cancer is a very uncomfortable condition, leaving the sufferer in pain for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, this does not ease up at night, leaving the sufferer unable to get enough sleep at night.
Already left exhausted by the effects of the cancer of the body, a lack of sleep only compounds the problem. Sufferers are often given treatments to relieve the symptoms at night, and to help them to sleep.
Symptom #7: Infections
Our bodies are naturally adept at fighting off disease and infection. Any potentially harmful microbes are usually met with a formidable natural immune system that acts swiftly and effectively. Such microbes are usually destroyed by our bodies before they can establish a foothold in the body, leaving us well and usually unaware that there was a risk at all.
Bone cancer, however, weakens the immune system, meaning that we are less able to fight off infections. With a weakened natural defense against such infections, they could grow unchecked if they are not treated accordingly. Strong antibiotics are often required to help the sufferer fight against infections.
Symptom #8: Anemia
When threatened by a disease, our bodies will produce white blood cells. These are our guardians against disease and will set about confronting the pathogens straight away. They are essential for our survival, but too many of them can be very dangerous to us.
When a cancer is present in the body, the white blood cell production will go into overdrive to help combat it. Too many white blood cells in the blood stream, however, means that there is not room for enough red blood cells. This condition is known as anemia, and results in insufficient oxygen being transported through the body.
Symptom #9: Numbness
There is only a limited amount of space inside our bodies, and everything is packed in quite tightly. Despite this, blood vessels are usually given plenty of space to allow our blood to pass freely through them. This flow, however, can become obstructed if something presses against the vessel and closes it shut.
As a cancer grows, so it takes up more space within the body, potentially causing it to press up against blood vessels. This squeezes the vessels, which can potentially cut off the blood supply. This, along with our nerves being squeezed, can lead to sensations of numbness in the body.
Symptom #10: Hair Loss
While hair loss is not a direct symptom of cancer, it is often considered to be synonymous with the condition. Hair loss in cancer sufferers is actually caused by chemotherapy, which is among the most common treatments for the condition.
Chemotherapy works by attacking cells that are growing quickly, making quick growing cancers at the top of its hit list. Hair is also fast growing, though, so it too is targeted by the treatment. This has the effect of causing your hair to fall out, and it can range from a slight thinning of the hair, to a complete loss of all hair all over the body. The hair will begin to grow back again a few weeks after treatment has stopped.
