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Symptoms And Treatment Of Bone Cancer

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While there are different types of bone cancers, the symptoms for each are generally about the same with the severity varying with the size and location of the tumor (Upstate Medical University, 2014). The most common symptom is pain, which, in the case of cancers such as osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing’s sarcoma, may occur in the arms, legs, and knees. The pain may start out as being infrequent and only occur at night or when the bone is in use. Over time, as the tumor grows, the pain will increase and become more persistent. The pain is often accompanied by swelling and sometimes even a palpable lump, depending on the location. Fractures can also result due to weakened and fragile bone where malignancy is present (American Cancer Society, 2015). As the cancer progresses, other possible symptoms include fatigue, unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats, and trouble breathing (Upstate Medical University, 2014). If bone cancer is suspected, x-rays can be taken which may show key characteristics of a specific type of cancer. Osteosarcoma can often be identified by its classic “sunburst” pattern in radiographs. What makes up the pattern is a soft tissue mass accompanied by horizontal bony spicules extending out through the mass (Eisenberg and Johnson, 2012, p. 124). Chondrosarcoma can be seen on radiographs as endosteal scalloping with destruction of the compact layer of bone, and often contains a splotchy or shapeless calcification. Ewing’s sarcoma is

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