Metastases in the bone marrow. Bone marrow disease: causes and symptoms

Tumor bone marrow- This is a very dangerous disease. Bone marrow is the substance that fills hollow bones. The functions of the stem cells that are found in it are to reproduce various cells. The tumor stops this work and the body is no longer supplied with cells, mainly red blood cells, in full. This disease is called bone marrow cancer.

Causes of the disease

What causes this pathology? The development of cancer in the human body is a process that is not fully understood. At some point, the cells mutate and begin to actively divide, forming a tumor. Metastases can spread throughout the body. In the case of bone marrow cancer, it is believed that metastases enter it from thyroid glands s or lungs. It is also believed that mutant cells may enter the bones from the mammary glands or prostate gland.

Pathological cells settle in the bone marrow, having got there from other organs, in 60% of cases of cancer. They are transmitted via the bloodstream. In the remaining 40% of cases, the disease develops directly in the human bones.

The reasons why this happens are not fully understood. There are hypotheses that this is caused by unfavorable environment or exposure to harmful substances on the body chemical substances. Some scientists believe that this disease is hereditary, but confirmation of this has not yet been found.

Symptoms of the disease

The symptoms of bone marrow cancer are clear; the risk group includes men over 50 years of age. In young and middle-aged women, the disease is rarely detected. It is even rarer to find cancer in a child.

Bone marrow cancer has symptoms:

There is pain in the bones. It becomes stronger during movement, never subsides, that is, it is constant. Most often the lower back begins to hurt.
Constant feeling of fatigue and weakness, dizziness is common. The very first symptom of the disease is pain in the muscles and joints.
Blood clotting decreases, so the patient often develops bruises and the gums begin to bleed.
General weakness aggravated by the failure of any limb, most often the legs. A cancer patient experiences pain when urinating, and stool becomes unstable.
Arises constant feeling nausea, sometimes vomiting. Because of large quantity calcium in the blood causes constipation. The patient is thirsty.
Observed nose bleed. The person is half asleep.
In bones that do not have bone marrow, such as the skull, ribs, and pelvis, smooth round holes are formed. Swellings appear above them.
The patient's weight decreases, sometimes to complete exhaustion.
Bones become brittle and brittle. Fractures are common.
The affected spine becomes curved.
The immune system weakens and any infection can join bone cancer.

Stages and diagnosis of the disease

The pathology has 4 stages, the first 2, as a rule, are diagnosed by chance. That is, the symptoms of the disease are similar to rheumatism or arthritis. Sometimes the patient thinks that pain during urination is due to inflammation of the genitourinary system. And only diagnostic measures prescribed by a doctor detect cancer.

Stage 4 is incurable. Bone marrow sarcoma metastasizes to all internal organs of a person. The prognosis in this case is disappointing - such a patient will not live long.

Since the symptoms of the disease are similar to those of other ailments, cancer diagnosis is carried out very carefully using special equipment:

Firstly, it is done biochemical analysis blood. A large amount of protein can indicate the presence of cancer - this is the main sign of the disease.
Then a urine and stool test is done.
More complex, but necessary analysis- bone marrow biopsy.
The bones are then examined using X-ray equipment.
For a clearer picture of the disease, magnetic resonance imaging is done.

But the conclusion about the disease is made only on the basis complex diagnostics. A doctor will never make a conclusion based only on a blood or urine test.

Treatment of the disease

Success in treating bone marrow cancer directly depends on the stage of the disease. Surgical treatment is carried out if the focus of the disease is not multiple.

In severe cases it is carried out symptomatic treatment, that is, the patient’s life is made easier by relieving pain and other manifestations of the disease. Overall complex therapeutic measures includes:

To strengthen the bones, the patient is prescribed a bone mass protector.
Hormonal drugs designed to increase the level of red blood cells in the blood.
Patients are given blood transfusions to reduce paraprotein levels.
Radiation therapy is used to treat a single focus of bone marrow cancer.
Chemotherapy is prescribed to combat large tumors.

The most successful method The current treatment is a bone marrow transplant from a donor. Chemotherapy is then given to stop the mutated cells from spreading and preventing them from affecting the transplanted brain. The complexity of this method lies in the fact that the bone marrow of the donor and recipient must match almost 100% in many biochemical parameters, which is only possible in the case of consanguinity, for example in twins. Thus, the chances of recovery, for example, for a child with a twin brother, are much higher than for other patients.

In addition, bone marrow cancer is a disease that recurs at any time. Full recovery Scientists have not yet been able to achieve this for the patient.

Disease prognosis

For stages 1 and 2 of the disease, the prognosis is positive. Especially if the tumor is small and single. No drugs have yet been invented for other stages of cancer.

No one can definitively answer how long cancer patients live. Statistics that have been kept for many years can only give an average value - with good health and a positive response to treatment, a person can live 4 years. But special cases refute this term. Since a disease like oncology can kill a patient in 3-4 months or completely stop on its own, such cases are also known. Moreover, the disease goes away at stage 4, when the doctors have already stopped fighting.

All this suggests that bone marrow tumors, like any cancer in the human body, are a mystery that modern scientists have not been able to solve. The disease affects adults and children, men and women. By what criterion cancer chooses its victims is still not clear. This does not mean that there is no need to fight the disease, because it is in the process of treatment that a solution to the problem is born. In addition, a person has the power to reduce the risk of the occurrence and development of disease in his body if he follows preventive measures.

Disease prevention

The main preventative measure against bone marrow cancer is to strengthen the body's immunity. For this:

You should drink more fluid. This is important for reducing calcium levels in the body.
You need to exercise regularly and strengthen your body, especially in winter.
It is important to refuse bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking. Nicotine in the lungs increases the risk of cancer several times.
You should eat on a diet. The diet must include sea fish, chicken meat and eggs, groundnuts and walnuts, seaweed. You should not abuse fatty and spicy foods.
It is very important to undergo a medical examination regularly, at least once a year.

By following these rules, a person will have a strong and healthy body, which, even if cancer strikes it, will be able to survive chemotherapy treatment and live longer long years. Take care of your body and take care of your health.

Oncological disease of myeloid (hematopoietic) tissue belongs to the category of hemoblastosis, and this is actually bone marrow cancer. It should be noted that cancer cells from the bone marrow are capable of infecting bone tissue, and then develop various shape bone cancer. And they can call oncological lesions blood.

When talking about bone marrow cancer, experts mean cancer of the most important hematopoietic organ a person, which is located in the spongy tissue of bones (the ends of long tubular bones and the cavities of many spongy bones, including the bones of the pelvis, skull, and sternum). It is the special cells of the myeloid tissue of the bone marrow - hematopoietic stem cells - that synthesize leukocytes, platelets, erythrocytes, as well as eosinophils, neutrophils, basophils and mononuclear phagocytes. The bone marrow does not synthesize lymphocytes, but it contains B-lymphocytes, which recognize genetically foreign substances (antigens) in our body, begin to produce protective antibodies and “release” them into the blood, ensuring the functioning of the body. immune system.

Causes of bone marrow cancer

Numerous studies into the causes of bone marrow cancer have revealed that, apart from other organs, bone marrow is rarely affected. A much more common situation is when the bone marrow becomes the target of metastases. According to oncologists, cancer metastases to the bone marrow are most often observed in patients with malignant neoplasms of the lungs, thyroid gland, mammary glands, prostate gland, as well as neuroblastoma in children (cancer of the sympathetic nervous system). In the latter case, bone marrow metastases appear in more than 60% of patients. While cancer metastases to the bone marrow malignant tumors colon are found in only 8% of cases. Dissemination (spread) cancer cells The tumor originates from the primary tumor site by blood and lymph, and thus uncontrollably multiplying cancer cells enter the bone marrow.

However, it also happens primary cancer bone marrow, the true causes of which are currently unknown for certain. Factors such as infections, harmful chemicals, or other environmental exposures may play a role in bone marrow cancer, but there is no strong evidence for this. There are also no substantiated arguments that there is a hereditary factor here.

Most researchers tend to see the causes of bone marrow cancer in the somatic mutation of plasma cells - the main cells that produce antibodies and are the final stage of B-lymphocyte development. According to this version, bone marrow cancer is bone marrow sarcoma or multiple myeloma- occurs due to the destruction of myeloid tissue, which occurs due to the excess content of plasma cells. Sometimes plasma cells can completely displace normal hematopoietic tissue from the bone marrow.

Symptoms of cancer

Bone marrow cancer, as shown medical statistics, affects mainly men after 50 years of age, but can also develop in people older young. The disease has two forms: with one focus (solitary) and multiple (diffuse).

Domestic and foreign oncologists point to the following main clinical symptoms bone marrow cancer:

anemia, in which a person quickly gets tired, complains of weakness and dizziness. Sometimes anemia is the very first and main manifestation of the disease;
persistent pain in the bones that increases with movement (most often in the lower back, pelvis and ribs);
bruises on the body and bleeding gums (blood clotting problems associated with low level platelets);
compression of the spinal nerve endings, which is expressed in weakness of the leg muscles, numbness of certain parts of the body or legs, pain in the bladder or intestines and problems with emptying them;
increased thirst, nausea, vomiting, constipation (indicate a high level of calcium in the blood - hypercalcemia);
nosebleeds, blurred vision, headaches, drowsiness (associated with increased blood viscosity due to very high levels of abnormal immunoglobulin class protein - paraprotein);
places of damage to the bone marrow and bones (pelvis, ribs, sternum, skull, less often - long bones) in the form of holes of various sizes, but always round in shape with clear boundaries;
swelling over the tumor site.

In the diffuse form of bone marrow cancer (myeloma), symptoms such as:

progressive normochromic anemia, exhaustion, weight loss;
bone pain;
the size of single lesion nodes increases and merges, causing thickening bone tissue;
systemic osteoporosis, that is, a decrease in bone density and strength (may be accompanied by pathological fractures);
the lesion spreads to the spine, causing its curvature (thoracic kyphoscoliosis);
exposure of patients bacterial infections due to a significant decrease in immunity (due to hypogammaglobulinemia).

Stages of cancer

At the first, and often at the second stage of bone marrow cancer, this disease is rarely diagnosed, since patients mistake the pain that torments them for radiculitis, and doctors mistake it for osteochondrosis, rheumatism, arthritis or primary radiculoneuritis. If patients consult a urologist about kidney problems, they are immediately suspected of having urolithiasis disease or pyelonephritis. And only on ultrasound are local pathological lesions bone tissue.

The last stage of any cancer is considered to be the state when the tumor has metastasized to the lymph nodes and other organs. Stage 4 bone marrow cancer is an extensive bone marrow sarcoma with metastases or diffuse form multiple myeloma.

Diagnosis of cancer

It is clear that the symptoms of bone marrow cancer cannot be the only basis for making a diagnosis. Moreover, diagnosis must be differentiated. Required laboratory analysis blood (biochemical and determination of IgM antibodies in the blood), urine, feces, as well as histological examination particles of affected tissue (biopsy) and biochemical analysis of myeloid tissue (bone marrow puncture).

In the diagnosis of bone marrow cancer, they must be used X-ray methods, bone scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging with MRI.

97% of patients with bone marrow cancer have abnormal blood and urine protein tests.

Blood tests for bone marrow cancer are very specific. Thus, the color index of blood (that is, the relative content of hemoglobin in one red blood cell) is close to one (with the norm being 0.85-1.05). ESR indicators elevated. A change in the shape of red blood cells (poikilocytosis) characteristic of anemia, a significant difference in the size of red blood cells in the same person (anisocytosis) with a large percentage of abnormally small red blood cells (microcytosis) are detected.

At the same time, in the blood of patients with bone marrow cancer, the number of nuclear forms of erythrocytes and erythroblasts (intermediate cells in the development of red blood cells) is increased. The number of reticulocytes (young red blood cells that are formed in the bone marrow and circulate in the blood) is also higher than normal. But the platelet content in a blood test for bone marrow cancer is significantly lower than the standard level.

To confirm the diagnosis, it is done histological analysis bone marrow - biopsy (trepanobiopsy), and a myelogram compiled from its results allows you to objectively assess the condition of the bone marrow cells.

Treatment of bone marrow cancer

Treatment for bone marrow cancer depends on the form of the disease. For solitary myeloma main method Treatment is surgical, in which the lesion is removed.

Symptomatic treatment is also prescribed, which is aimed at relieving pain (taking painkillers); strengthening bones (bone protectors - bisphosphonates); increasing the content of red blood cells in the blood (steroid hormonal drugs).

To improve the composition of patients' blood and reduce the level of paraprotein in it, exchange transfusion or membrane plasmapheresis can be used.

If the lesions are single, a course of radiation therapy is performed. For diffuse myeloma, various chemotherapy regimens are used to stop the proliferation of cancer cells.

A stem cell transplant may be an option for treating bone marrow cancer. This treatment is not suitable for all cases, but it offers a better chance of complete remission. Stem cells are usually obtained from the blood of a patient with cancer before radiation or chemotherapy.

The total duration of treatment for bone marrow cancer until remission can be about a year. In many cases where there is partial remission, the disease will return at some point (relapse). Over time, treatment of relapses becomes more complex and difficult.

Cancer Prevention

It should be noted that decreased immunity plays an important role in the development of bone marrow cancer. Therefore, to provide the body with substances beneficial to the bone marrow, it is recommended to eat:

sea fish rich in fats (as a source of essential fatty acids);
chicken (proteins, selenium, B vitamins);
walnuts (iron, cobalt, copper, iodine, zinc, manganese and polyunsaturated fatty acids);
peanuts (arachidonic acid);
chicken eggs (lutein);
seaweed (iodine).

Adequate correction of hypercalcemia is very important, so people diagnosed with bone marrow cancer (myeloma) are usually advised to drink plenty of fluids - at least three liters per day. This helps reduce high calcium levels.

Cancer prognosis

Most often, the prognosis for bone marrow cancer is unfavorable. Although with primary solitary myeloma without metastases, patient survival is 75-80%. Most deaths are caused by osteogenic tumors, that is, when cancer cells from the bone marrow penetrate the bones and cause bone cancer ( osteogenic sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, chordoma, Ewing's sarcoma, etc.).

How long do people live with bone marrow cancer?

In general, with timely detection and treatment, about half of people live 3-4 years. In some cases, the disease responds very well to treatment and the survival rate is much higher. In particular, successful stem cell transplantation offers a good chance of complete remission of bone marrow cancer.

Bone marrow cancer – serious illness, treatment of which can only be successful if the first signs of pathological cell proliferation are detected in a timely manner. At the first stage, doctors have a better chance of stopping the malignant process and preventing metastases from spreading to other tissues and organs.

It is important to undergo a full and detailed diagnosis at the first signs that resemble symptoms of oncological processes occurring in the hematopoietic organs.

People at risk for this disease should undergo regular clinical examination.

All information on the site is for informational purposes only and is NOT a guide to action!

Only DOCTOR!

Make an appointment with a specialist

The manifestations of malignant neoplasms localized in the bone marrow largely depend on the types of pathology. Signs cancer diseases bone marrow are divided into nonspecific (general) and specific. Let's take a closer look at the symptoms of each group.

The stages of development of brain cancer are described here.

Nonspecific

Bone marrow cancers, according to statistics, primarily affect men over 50 years of age, but some types of malignant neoplasms can also develop in young people and even children.

The disease can develop in 2 forms – solitary (with a single lesion) and diffuse (with multiple lesions). For a long time, clinical symptoms may be absent altogether, but sometimes the disease develops rapidly, metastasizing to other tissues.

Common signs for the initial stage of bone marrow damage are:

gastrointestinal manifestations

infectious diseases

lymph nodes

Sometimes patients experience an enlargement of the spleen and liver - such signs are characteristic of leukemia, which is sometimes mistakenly called blood cancer. This disease actually affects blood cells, but the localization of the primary pathological process- exactly bone marrow.

Specific

A diffuse form of cancer (myeloma) can cause the following symptoms, which medicine considers specific:

frequent fractures

pelvic area

spinal region

The difficulty is that bone marrow cancer is rarely diagnosed at the first and even second stages: patients mistake pain for sciatica or other pathologies. Sometimes sick for a long time are being treated for osteochondrosis, arthritis or rheumatism, not suspecting that their bone marrow is affected.

Only ultrasound can detect pathological changes in bone tissue, characteristic of the oncological process.

There are clinical cases when patients are diagnosed only at stage 4 of cancer, when the disease metastasizes to lymphatic system and other organs. Stage 4 bone marrow cancer is an extensive sarcoma, the treatment of which can no longer give positive results.

Everything about surviving brain cancer is written here.

Glioblastoma stage 4 - brain cancer, more about it insidious disease here.

It is rarely possible to completely cure malignant bone marrow lesions. The only form Therapy that gives a chance for complete remission is a bone marrow transplant. This operation is considered one of the most difficult in medicine and cannot be performed in every clinical case.

Bone marrow cancer

Bone marrow is the soft mass that fills the bone. Human bones contain stem cells. They have the ability to restore cells of other organs destroyed as a result of disease or injury.

It turns out that bone marrow is a kind of plant that renews blood. Cells are constantly being formed here, therefore, there is the possibility of mutations. If control over it is weakened, substandard formations are born. The cells grow, divide and crowd out healthy cells, so the bone marrow does not perform its functions.

Bone marrow cancer: symptoms and manifestations

Causes of bone marrow cancer

Doctors have conducted many studies in this area, which have shown that bone marrow cancer does not often occur separately from the rest of the body. This is a kind of target for the arrows of metastases.

Oncologists determined that metastases to the bone marrow move from low-quality formations in the lungs, thyroid, prostate and mammary glands.

Metastases are transmitted to the bone marrow in 60% of cancer cases. Rarely do they send their impulses to the bone marrow if malignant formations appear in the colon. Scientists noted 8% of such patients. From the primary lesions, cancer cells spread through the blood or lymph. They multiply uncontrollably before entering the bone marrow.

Doctors have noted cases of primary bone marrow damage. These cases are very rare and the reasons for their occurrence are not yet fully known. It is assumed that this disease appears as a result of adverse environmental influences, various kinds infections, from the influence of chemicals on the human body, are inherited. However, all this remains at the level of speculation, and there is still no evidence.

Many scientists associate the appearance of bone marrow cancer with mutation of cells inside the body. Plasmocytes produce antibodies and therefore appear to be the final step in the development of a B lymphocyte.

Sticking to existing theory, it is clear: bone marrow cancer is born due to the breakdown of the myeloid mass. It is caused by an excess of plasma cells. It happens that they finally displace healthy hematopoietic mass from the bone marrow.

Symptoms and signs

According to preliminary statistics, it is known that men suffer from bone marrow cancer several times more often than women. Age limit 50 years and older. However, this disease also develops in young people. This disease occurs in two forms: solitary and diffuse.

Symptoms of bone marrow cancer include the following:

With myeloma, additional symptoms are added, such as:

rapid weight loss to the point of severe exhaustion. single lesions increase in size, merge with those nearby, and the bone tissue thickens. Bone strength and density decrease, osteoporosis occurs, and fractures may occur. curvature of the spine occurs due to the transition of the lesion to it. immunity decreases and the likelihood of contracting various types of infections increases. There is a lot of room for bacteria.

Stages of bone marrow cancer

At the initial stage of bone marrow cancer, doctors rarely diagnose this disease. Patients come with complaints of radiculitis, kidney pain, desire to urinate, and rheumatic pain. Doctors often diagnose osteochondrosis and arthritis. When the patient gets an ultrasound, it is discovered that the bone tissue is affected.

There are cases when the disease is detected on last stage when extensive metastases spread throughout the body. The fourth is the stage of cancer with metastases traveling through the blood and lymph to other organs. Treatment at this stage will not lead to a positive result.

Diagnosis of the disease

Relying only on symptoms, the diagnosis of this disease cannot be determined. It is necessary to do, for example, a biochemical blood test to determine the presence of antibodies in the blood, a urine test, a stool test, a biopsy, and a bone marrow puncture.

Diagnosis of bone marrow cancer involves undergoing examination in an X-ray room; it is recommended to do a computed tomography scan and undergo an MRI. Ninety-seven percent of patients will have abnormal protein levels in their blood and urine tests. This is bone marrow cancer. The blood test is very specific. The shape of red blood cells is changed, indicating anemia.

The blood of people with this type of cancer is filled with big amount erythroblasts and nuclear erythrocytes. The number of newly born red blood cells is greater than the permissible norm, the number of platelets is below the specified norm.

To confirm the diagnosis, a biopsy is performed and only after the analysis a conclusion is issued about the condition of the bone marrow cells.

Treatment of bone marrow cancer

If bone marrow cancer occurs, treatment of low-quality formations is directly related to the stage and form of the disease. This is a difficult process that requires doctors to believe in themselves that the patient will be healed. Surgical method used for a single lesion, when it can only be removed.

To relieve pain, various painkillers are prescribed, and symptomatic treatment is prescribed. To make the bone stronger, a bone mass protector is placed. To increase the content of red blood cells in the blood, hormonal medications are prescribed.

To improve blood composition and reduce paraprotein in it, blood transfusions are used.

Radiation therapy is carried out when a single lesion is detected. In the case of multiple lesions, chemotherapy is used in an attempt to stop further mutation.

A successful treatment for bone marrow cancer will be a stem cell transplant. This method is not used in all cases of the disease. Stem cells are usually taken from the patient's blood before chemotherapy begins.

The course of treatment for bone marrow cancer lasts a year. In seventy percent of patients, with incomplete remission, relapses recur at any time. Treating them becomes more difficult over time.

Preventive measures

To avoid the disease, prevention of bone marrow cancer should be aimed at increasing immunity and providing the body with all necessary substances, pay attention to proper nutrition And following products:

necessary for the body

protein food

rich in vitamins

Life prognosis for patients

The prognosis for bone marrow cancer is pessimistic. However, when the lesion site is not accompanied by metastases and is single, complete cure of patients is 80%.

How long do patients live?

Many patients and their loved ones are interested in the question: how many years, months, days will a person with bone marrow cancer live? Each person has his own individual body, his own destiny, his own The biological clock. Age and general physical condition play an important role in this.

If you consult a doctor in a timely manner and carry out timely prevention and the prescribed course of treatment, you can live another four years. If the body responds well to the prescribed course of treatment, then the patient’s life expectancy will be even longer. Today, stem cell transplantation offers a good chance of complete remission.

However, we should not forget that all statistics on survival are relative, they are of a general nature and are not taken into account individual reaction the body on the tolerance of a prescribed drug or other therapeutic effect, the information may already be outdated and it does not reflect or take into account the latest indicators of modern medicine.

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How dangerous is a bone marrow tumor?

A bone marrow tumor is a very dangerous disease. Bone marrow is the substance that fills hollow bones. The functions of the stem cells that are found in it are to reproduce various cells. The tumor stops this work and the body is no longer supplied with cells, mainly red blood cells, in full. This disease is called bone marrow cancer.

Causes of the disease

What causes this pathology? The development of cancer in the human body is a process that is not fully understood. At some point, the cells mutate and begin to actively divide, forming a tumor. Metastases can spread throughout the body. In the case of bone marrow cancer, it is believed that metastases enter it from the thyroid gland or lungs. It is also believed that mutant cells may enter the bones from the mammary glands or prostate gland.

The reasons why this happens are not fully understood. There are hypotheses that this is caused by an unfavorable environment or exposure to harmful chemicals on the body. Some scientists believe that this disease is hereditary, but confirmation of this has not yet been found.

Symptoms of the disease

Bone marrow cancer has symptoms:

There is pain in the bones. It becomes stronger during movement, never subsides, that is, it is constant. Most often the lower back begins to hurt. Constant feeling of fatigue and weakness, dizziness is common. The very first symptom of the disease is pain in the muscles and joints. Blood clotting decreases, so the patient often develops bruises and the gums begin to bleed. General weakness is aggravated by the failure of any limb, most often the legs. A cancer patient experiences pain when urinating, and stool becomes unstable. There is a constant feeling of nausea, sometimes vomiting. Due to the large amount of calcium in the blood, constipation occurs. The patient is thirsty. Nosebleeds are observed. The person is half asleep. In bones that do not have bone marrow, such as the skull, ribs, and pelvis, smooth round holes are formed. Swellings appear above them. The patient's weight decreases, sometimes to the point of complete exhaustion. Bones become brittle and brittle. Fractures are common. The affected spine becomes curved. The immune system weakens and any infection can join bone cancer.

Stages and diagnosis of the disease

Stage 4 is incurable. Bone marrow sarcoma metastasizes to all internal organs of a person. The prognosis in this case is disappointing - such a patient will not live long.

Since the symptoms of the disease are similar to those of other ailments, cancer diagnosis is carried out very carefully using special equipment:

First, a biochemical blood test is done. A large amount of protein can indicate the presence of cancer - this is the main sign of the disease. Then a urine and stool test is done. A more complex but necessary test is a bone marrow biopsy. The bones are then examined using X-ray equipment. For a clearer picture of the disease, magnetic resonance imaging is done.

But a conclusion about the disease is made only on the basis of a comprehensive diagnosis. A doctor will never make a conclusion based only on a blood or urine test.

Treatment of the disease

Success in treating bone marrow cancer directly depends on the stage of the disease. Surgical treatment is carried out if the focus of the disease is not multiple.

In severe cases, symptomatic treatment is carried out, that is, the patient’s life is made easier by relieving pain and other manifestations of the disease. In general, the complex of treatment measures includes:

To strengthen the bones, the patient is prescribed a bone mass protector. Hormonal drugs are designed to increase the level of red blood cells in the blood. Patients are given blood transfusions to reduce paraprotein levels. Radiation therapy is used to treat a single focus of bone marrow cancer. Chemotherapy is prescribed to combat large tumors.

The most successful treatment method to date is a bone marrow transplant from a donor. Chemotherapy is then given to stop the mutated cells from spreading and preventing them from affecting the transplanted brain. The complexity of this method lies in the fact that the bone marrow of the donor and recipient must match almost 100% in many biochemical parameters, which is only possible in the case of consanguinity, for example in twins. Thus, the chances of recovery, for example, for a child with a twin brother, are much higher than for other patients.

In addition, bone marrow cancer is a disease that recurs at any time. Scientists have not yet been able to achieve a complete recovery for the patient.

Disease prognosis

For stages 1 and 2 of the disease, the prognosis is positive. Especially if the tumor is small and single. No drugs have yet been invented for other stages of cancer.

All this suggests that bone marrow tumors, like any cancer in the human body, are a mystery that modern scientists have not been able to solve. The disease affects adults and children, men and women. By what criterion cancer chooses its victims is still not clear. This does not mean that there is no need to fight the disease, because it is in the process of treatment that a solution to the problem is born. In addition, a person has the power to reduce the risk of the occurrence and development of disease in his body if he follows preventive measures.

Disease prevention

The main preventative measure against bone marrow cancer is to strengthen the body's immunity. For this:

You should drink more fluid. This is important for reducing calcium levels in the body. You need to exercise regularly and strengthen your body, especially in winter. It is important to give up bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking. Nicotine in the lungs increases the risk of cancer several times. You should eat on a diet. The diet must include sea fish, chicken meat and eggs, groundnuts and walnuts, and seaweed. You should not abuse fatty and spicy foods. It is very important to undergo a medical examination regularly, at least once a year.

By following these rules, a person will have a strong and healthy body, which, even if cancer strikes it, will be able to survive chemotherapy treatment and live for many more years. Take care of your body and take care of your health.

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Http://onkolog-24.ru/rak-kostnogo-mozga. html

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At the first stage, doctors have a better chance of stopping the malignant process and preventing metastases from spreading to other tissues and organs.

It is important to undergo a full and detailed diagnosis at the first signs that resemble symptoms of oncological processes occurring in the hematopoietic organs.

People at risk for this disease should undergo regular clinical examination.

All information on the site is for informational purposes only and is NOT a guide to action!
Only a DOCTOR can give you an ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS!
We kindly ask you NOT to self-medicate, but to make an appointment with a specialist!
Health to you and your loved ones! Do not give up

The manifestations of malignant neoplasms localized in the bone marrow largely depend on the types of pathology. Signs of bone marrow cancer are divided into nonspecific (general) and specific. Let's take a closer look at the symptoms of each group.

The stages of development of brain cancer are described here.

Nonspecific

Bone marrow cancers, according to statistics, primarily affect men over 50 years of age, but some types of malignant neoplasms can also develop in young people and even children.

Common signs for the initial stage of bone marrow damage are:

anemia (anemia), in which the patient quickly gets tired, experiences constant weakness, dizziness, darkening of the eyes (anemia is often the first and main manifestation of the disease);
constant thirst, periodic nausea, less often vomiting, constipation (these signs indicate an increased content of calcium and its salts in the bloodstream - hypercalcemia);
nosebleeds, blurred vision, drowsiness and headache (these manifestations indicate an increase in blood viscosity due to an increase in the number of abnormal protein molecules - paraprotein);
hematomas and frequent gum bleeding are signs of poor blood clotting caused by a decrease in the number of platelets;
muscle weakness, numbness in the legs, pain in the bladder, gastrointestinal symptoms (this group of symptoms develops as a result of compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord);
susceptibility to infectious diseases (usually bacterial) caused by a decrease in the body's defenses;
swollen lymph nodes;
sleep disturbances, confusion, apathy and weight loss (asthenic syndrome).

Specific

A diffuse form of cancer (myeloma) can cause the following symptoms, which medicine considers specific:

osteoporosis – reduced strength and density of bone tissue (this phenomenon can cause frequent pathological fractures that occur with minimal load on the bones);
constant or pain that occurs during movement and stress in the bones (mainly in the lower extremities, pelvic area and in the ribs);
bone damage can cause thickening and growths on the surface of bone tissue;
if the disease is localized in the spinal region, its deformation (kyphoscoliosis) may develop;
in areas of bone tissue damage - in the pelvic region, ribs, sternum and cranial bones, holes of different sizes can form - while their shape is always round and has clear boundaries.

The difficulty is that bone marrow cancer is rarely diagnosed at the first and even second stages: patients mistake pain for sciatica or other pathologies. Sometimes patients are treated for osteochondrosis, arthritis or rheumatism for a long time, not suspecting that their bone marrow is affected.

Only an ultrasound examination can detect pathological changes in bone tissue characteristic of an oncological process.

There are clinical cases when patients are diagnosed only at stage 4 of cancer, when the disease metastasizes to the lymphatic system and other organs. Stage 4 bone marrow cancer is an extensive sarcoma, the treatment of which can no longer give positive results.

Everything about surviving brain cancer is written here.

Glioblastoma stage 4 is brain cancer, more about this insidious disease here.

It is rarely possible to completely cure malignant bone marrow lesions. The only form of therapy that offers a chance of complete remission is a bone marrow transplant. This operation is considered one of the most difficult in medicine and cannot be performed in every clinical case.

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Bone marrow cancer

Bone marrow is the soft mass that fills the bone. Human bones contain stem cells. They have the ability to restore cells of other organs destroyed as a result of disease or injury.

Bone marrow cancer: causes

Bone marrow damage

Oncologists determined that metastases to the bone marrow move from low-quality formations in the lungs, thyroid, prostate and mammary glands.

Doctors have noted cases of primary bone marrow damage. These cases are very rare and the reasons for their occurrence are not yet fully known. It is assumed that this disease appears as a result of the adverse effects of the environment, various types of infections, the influence of chemicals on the human body, and is inherited. However, all this remains at the level of speculation, and there is still no evidence.

Adhering to the existing theory, it is clear: bone marrow cancer is born as a result of the breakdown of the myeloid mass. It is caused by an excess of plasma cells. It happens that they finally displace healthy hematopoietic mass from the bone marrow.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms of bone marrow cancer include the following:

pain in many bones, they intensify when a person moves. The pain is constant. It often occurs in the hip area and covers the lower back;
frequent fatigue, constant complaints of weakness throughout the body, joints, muscles, dizziness. Often it is this symptom that first alerts about the onset of the disease;
Gums bleed, bruises appear on the body. A low platelet count prevents rapid blood clotting;
muscles weaken, legs and certain parts of the body become numb, pain occurs when urinating, problems appear when emptying the intestines;
I am constantly thirsty, often feel nauseous, have vomiting attacks, and have difficulties in excreting feces. These difficulties indicate a large amount of calcium in the blood;
There are cases of nosebleeds, eye vigilance decreases, fog often appears in the eyes, headaches constantly bother you, you want to sleep all the time. These symptoms are associated with high levels of paraprotein;
on the bones of the pelvis, skull, ribs, sternum, lesions appear in the form of holes of different sizes, however, their shape is always round and the boundaries are clear;
a swelling appears above the lesion.

With myeloma, additional symptoms are added, such as:

rapid weight loss to the point of severe exhaustion.
single lesions increase in size, merge with those nearby, and the bone tissue thickens.
Bone strength and density decrease, osteoporosis occurs, and fractures may occur.
curvature of the spine occurs due to the transition of the lesion to it.
immunity decreases and the likelihood of contracting various types of infections increases. There is a lot of room for bacteria.

Stages of bone marrow cancer

When bone marrow cancer is in its early stages, doctors rarely diagnose the disease. Patients come with complaints of radiculitis, kidney pain, desire to urinate, and rheumatic pain. Doctors often diagnose osteochondrosis and arthritis. When the patient gets an ultrasound, it is discovered that the bone tissue is affected.

There are cases when the disease is detected at the last stage, when extensive metastases have spread throughout the body. The fourth is the stage of cancer with metastases traveling through the blood and lymph to other organs. Treatment at this stage will not lead to a positive result.

Diagnosis of the disease

The blood of people with this type of cancer is filled with a large number of erythroblasts and nuclear red blood cells. The number of newly born red blood cells is greater than the permissible norm, the number of platelets is below the specified norm.

To confirm the diagnosis, a biopsy is performed and only after the analysis a conclusion is issued about the condition of the bone marrow cells.

Treatment methods

If bone marrow cancer occurs, treatment of low-quality formations is directly related to the stage and form of the disease. This is a difficult process that requires doctors to believe in themselves that the patient will be healed. The surgical method is used for a single lesion, when it can only be removed.

To improve blood composition and reduce paraprotein in it, blood transfusions are used.

Radiation therapy is carried out when a single lesion is detected. In the case of multiple lesions, chemotherapy is used in an attempt to stop further mutation.

The course of treatment for bone marrow cancer lasts a year. In seventy percent of patients, with incomplete remission, relapses recur at any time. Treating them becomes more difficult over time.

Preventive measures

To avoid the disease, prevention of bone marrow cancer should be aimed at increasing immunity and providing the body with all the necessary substances, pay attention to proper nutrition and the following foods:

sea fish (it contains a large amount of fatty acids, so necessary for the human body).
chicken meat This is a protein food rich in B vitamins and selenium (one of the types of antioxidants).
walnuts (they contain a lot of iron).
peanuts.
Chicken eggs are rich in lutein.
seaweed, it contains a lot of iodine.

Prognosis for patients

The prognosis for bone marrow cancer is pessimistic. However, when the lesion site is not accompanied by metastases and is single, complete cure of patients is 80%.

How long do patients live?

Many patients and their loved ones are interested in the question: how long do such patients live? How many years, months, days will a person with bone marrow cancer live? Each person has his own individual body, his own destiny, his own biological clock. Age and general physical condition play an important role in this.

However, we should not forget that all statistics on survival are relative, they are of a general nature, they do not take into account the individual reaction of the body to the tolerance of a prescribed drug or other therapeutic effect, the information may already be outdated and it does not reflect or take into account the latest indicators of modern medicine.

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How dangerous is a bone marrow tumor?

Causes of the disease

What causes this pathology? The development of cancer in the human body is a process that is not fully understood. At some point, the cells mutate and begin to actively divide, forming a tumor. Metastases can spread throughout the body. In the case of bone marrow cancer, it is believed that metastases enter it from the thyroid gland or lungs. It is also believed that mutant cells may enter the bones from the mammary glands or prostate gland.

Symptoms of the disease

The symptoms of bone marrow cancer are clear; the risk group includes men over 50 years of age. In young and middle-aged women, the disease is rarely detected. It is even rarer to find cancer in a child.

Bone marrow cancer has symptoms:

There is pain in the bones. It becomes stronger during movement, never subsides, that is, it is constant. Most often the lower back begins to hurt.
Constant feeling of fatigue and weakness, dizziness is common. The very first symptom of the disease is pain in the muscles and joints.
Blood clotting decreases, so the patient often develops bruises and the gums begin to bleed.
General weakness is aggravated by the failure of any limb, most often the legs. A cancer patient experiences pain when urinating, and stool becomes unstable.
There is a constant feeling of nausea, sometimes vomiting. Due to the large amount of calcium in the blood, constipation occurs. The patient is thirsty.
Nosebleeds are observed. The person is half asleep.
In bones that do not have bone marrow, such as the skull, ribs, and pelvis, smooth round holes are formed. Swellings appear above them.
The patient's weight decreases, sometimes to the point of complete exhaustion.
Bones become brittle and brittle. Fractures are common.
The affected spine becomes curved.
The immune system weakens and any infection can join bone cancer.

Stages and diagnosis of the disease

The pathology has 4 stages, the first 2, as a rule, are diagnosed by chance. That is, the symptoms of the disease are similar to rheumatism or arthritis. Sometimes the patient thinks that pain during urination is due to inflammation of the genitourinary system. And only diagnostic measures prescribed by a doctor detect cancer.

Stage 4 is incurable. Bone marrow sarcoma metastasizes to all internal organs of a person. The prognosis in this case is disappointing - such a patient will not live long.

Since the symptoms of the disease are similar to those of other ailments, cancer diagnosis is carried out very carefully using special equipment:

First, a biochemical blood test is done. A large amount of protein can indicate the presence of cancer - this is the main sign of the disease.
Then a urine and stool test is done.
A more complex but necessary test is a bone marrow biopsy.
The bones are then examined using X-ray equipment.
For a clearer picture of the disease, magnetic resonance imaging is done.

But a conclusion about the disease is made only on the basis of a comprehensive diagnosis. A doctor will never make a conclusion based only on a blood or urine test.

Treatment of the disease

Success in treating bone marrow cancer directly depends on the stage of the disease. Surgical treatment is carried out if the focus of the disease is not multiple.

To strengthen the bones, the patient is prescribed a bone mass protector.
Hormonal drugs are designed to increase the level of red blood cells in the blood.
Patients are given blood transfusions to reduce paraprotein levels.
Radiation therapy is used to treat a single focus of bone marrow cancer.
Chemotherapy is prescribed to combat large tumors.

In addition, bone marrow cancer is a disease that recurs at any time. Scientists have not yet been able to achieve a complete recovery for the patient.

Disease prognosis

For stages 1 and 2 of the disease, the prognosis is positive. Especially if the tumor is small and single. No drugs have yet been invented for other stages of cancer.

Disease prevention

The main preventative measure against bone marrow cancer is to strengthen the body's immunity. For this:

You should drink more fluid. This is important for reducing calcium levels in the body.
You need to exercise regularly and strengthen your body, especially in winter.
It is important to give up bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking. Nicotine in the lungs increases the risk of cancer several times.
You should eat on a diet. The diet must include sea fish, chicken meat and eggs, groundnuts and walnuts, and seaweed. You should not abuse fatty and spicy foods.
It is very important to undergo a medical examination regularly, at least once a year.

My husband died from cancer of the spinal cord and bones in a month. It took a long time to make a diagnosis. I'm worried, maybe he could have been saved? If in the first days of the disease a diagnosis had been made? Nothing hurt except my back and ribs. I had a fever. I ate well until the last minute. Why so fast? Maybe he worked physically hard? I don't understand. He was 63 years old. Answer please. Thank you.

Good afternoon Unfortunately, without diagnosing the patient, without taking tests, it is not ethical to say anything. But from experience we can say that if a person burns out in a month, then with a 99.9% probability it is impossible to help him. There are options only to prolong life, but at the last stage it is rather a continuation of torment.

Bone metastases

Cancer that starts in one place and spreads to other parts of the body is called secondary. It is significantly different from original cancer and influences the outcome of the disease.

The skeleton is the most common tissue for cancer metastasis. When bone metastases occur, the prognosis is related to many factors:

primary location of the tumor;
the specificity of bone invasions and the number of structures affected;
level of distribution;
previous therapeutic measures;
the body's response to treatment.

How does cancer spread to bone?

Tumor cells break away from the original affected organ. So with the help lymphatic vessels or blood spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). They can stop in nearby or distant areas and form a new tumor, which in its cellular characteristics will resemble the primary formation.

Usually penetrates the skeletal structure oncological process from the breast, kidney, lung, prostate and thyroid glands. Cancer cells that have been transported to the bone preferentially settle in the following places:

Metastases in the bones - photo:

Types of metastatic bone lesions

The progression of the oncological process invades the normal state of the bones and disrupts their functions in one of two ways:

As the tumor progresses, it splits the area of bone, creating a defect called an osteolytic foramen. As a result, bone structures become fragile, weak, painful, and easily susceptible to fractures and cracks. Often occurs when breast formations penetrate.
Cancer development can stimulate bone to improper formation. As a result, the tissues become very dense. These areas are called osteosclerotic, and the type of invasion is called osteoblastic. Occurs in prostate cancer.

Osteolytic spread occurs more often than osteoblastic spread.

Bone metastases: symptoms

Variable painful sensations that worsen at night and gradually increase.
Bone fractures are one of the first signs of bone metastases. The upper and lower limbs and spine.
Numbness or weakness in the legs and abdomen, problems with urination and bowel movements. These conditions may indicate cancer has invaded the spine and compressed the spinal cord.
High levels of calcium in the blood cause loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, and confusion. This condition is called hypercalcemia and can cause coma.
With metastases to the bone marrow, the number of red blood cells decreases, which causes anemia, fever, and chills.

Diagnostics

In many cases, the doctor detects bone metastases before symptoms appear using the following methods:

A bone scan using a small amount of radioactive material that is attracted to diseased areas throughout the body. The affected areas in the image are dark. However, such conditions may accompany other diseases such as arthritis, infections, or previous fractures.

Visualizes one aspect of cancer progress with many photographs combined into one picture.

Provides transverse transmission of the body using a special magnet. Particularly effective when searching for metastases of the spine, spinal cord and joints.

It is carried out using radioactive sugar, which is injected into the blood and absorbed by abnormal tissues. At that time, the adapted camera takes pictures. New technologies sometimes combine CT and PET to improve diagnosis.

Helps identify chemical elements released into the blood by metastases. When cancer spreads, calcium and the enzyme alkaline phosphatase are released.

Makes it possible to confirm the penetration of a malignant process into bone tissue.

Metastases of prostate cancer to the pelvic bones – photo:

How to treat bone metastases?

Treatment affects bone metastases and prognosis in particular. The primary focus is on improving the patient's quality of life.

Therapeutic measures include:

The use of bisphosphonates (“Pamidronate”, “Zoledronate”, “Clodronate”). They slow down the abnormal destruction of bone tissue and the emergence of new formations. Typically administered intravenously every 3-4 weeks. Denosumab is sometimes recommended instead of bisphosphonates.
Radiation therapy and radiopharmaceuticals affect metastases different types radiation. In the first case, this is a high-energy ionizing effect, which involves 10 procedures over 14 days. In the second, the radioactive substance strontium-89 or samarium-153 is injected into the veins. Effective in situations where many organs and systems are affected.
Chemotherapy and hormonal treatment due to a specific type of primary formation or hormone-dependent tumors. The goal of the methods is to control tumor growth and reduce unpleasant symptoms.
Immunotherapy is based on the use of immune system proteins aimed at destroying cancer cells and strengthening protective properties body.
Surgery is only appropriate to prevent or manage bone fractures. Surgery may consist of tumor removal or stabilization/strengthening of the bone structure.

Life forecast

Prognostic results for skeletal metastases are not encouraging. The worst picture is shown by lung cancer, for which life expectancy data show only a few months.

For different types primary cancer, the median survival rate is:

tumor mammary gland- from 1.6 to 2.2 years;
liver cancer - from 6 months to a year;
Prostate cancer: For androgen-dependent lesions, the prognosis is better and indicates survival of 8 to 18 months. For other types, patients live for about one year;
at multiple myeloma the data is relatively higher - from 2 to 3 years.

Bone metastases/prognosis are closely related and directly depend on the organ from which the malignant process has spread.

– secondary malignant foci in bone tissue, caused by the spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor of another organ. Manifested by increasing pain, hypercalcemia and pathological fractures. In some cases, a dense tumor-like formation may be detected in the affected area. When large vessels are compressed, circulatory disorders occur, and when nerve trunks are compressed, neurological symptoms occur. The diagnosis is established on the basis of anamnesis, complaints, objective examination data, laboratory and instrumental studies. Treatment – radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery.

General information

Bone metastases are damage to bone tissue as a result of the spread of malignant cells through the blood or lymph. Occur on late stages oncological disease. 80% of secondary bone tumors are detected in breast cancer and prostate cancer. In addition, bone metastasis is often found in malignant neoplasms of the thyroid gland, lung cancer, malignant kidney tumors, sarcoma, lymphoma and lymphogranulomatosis. For other neoplasms, damage to bone tissue is less typical. For ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, soft tissue tumors and gastrointestinal tract Bone metastases are diagnosed very rarely. Treatment is carried out by specialists in the field of oncology, traumatology and orthopedics.

Types of bone metastases

The processes of resorption and bone formation constantly occur in bone tissue. Normally, these processes are balanced. Malignant cells in the area of metastasis disrupt this balance, excessively activating osteoclasts (cells that destroy bone tissue) or osteoblasts (young cells of new bone tissue). Taking into account the predominant activation of osteoclasts or osteoblasts, two types of bone metastases are distinguished: osteolytic, in which destruction of bone tissue predominates, and osteoplastic, in which compaction of the bone area is observed. In practice, pure types of bone metastases are rare; mixed forms predominate.

Most often, secondary lesions are detected in bones with a rich blood supply: in the spine, ribs, pelvic bones, skull bones, femurs and humeri. On initial stages Bone metastases may be asymptomatic. Subsequently accompanied by increasing pain. The cause of pain is both mechanical (due to compression) and chemical (as a result of the release of large amounts of prostaglandins) stimulation of pain receptors located in the periosteum. Pain syndrome with bone metastases, worsens at night and after physical activity. Over time, the pain becomes excruciating and unbearable, and the patient’s condition improves only after taking narcotic analgesics.

Sufficiently large bone metastases can cause visible deformation, be detected on palpation in the form of a tumor-like formation, or be visible on radiographs as an area of destruction. Serious complication Bone metastases are pathological fractures, occurring in the area of tubular bones in 15-25% of cases, and in the area of vertebrae in almost half of the cases. Sometimes, during the process of growth, bone metastases compress nearby large vessels or nerves. In the first case, circulatory disorders occur, in the second - neurological disorders. To the number severe complications This pathology also includes spinal cord compression and hypercalcemia. Local symptoms of bone metastases are combined with general manifestations cancer: weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, apathy, fatigue, anemia and fever.

Symptoms of bone metastases

Hypercalcemia

Hypercalcemia is a life-threatening complication that occurs in 30-40% of patients with bone metastases. The reason for the development is increased activity osteoclasts, as a result of which an amount of calcium enters the blood from the destroyed bone, exceeding the excretory capacity of the kidneys. In patients with bone metastases, hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria occur, and the process of reabsorption of water and sodium in the renal tubules is disrupted. Polyuria develops. Formed vicious circle: due to polyuria, the volume of fluid in the body decreases, which entails a decrease in glomerular filtration. A decrease in glomerular filtration, in turn, causes an increase in the reabsorption of calcium in the renal tubules.

Hypercalcemia in bone metastases causes dysfunction various organs and systems. From the central nervous system, mental disorders, lethargy, affective disorders, proximal myopathy, confusion and loss of consciousness are observed. From the cardiovascular system, a decrease in blood pressure, a decrease in heart rate and arrhythmia are detected. Possible cardiac arrest. From the gastrointestinal tract, nausea, vomiting, constipation and appetite disturbances are noted. In severe cases, pancreatitis or intestinal obstruction develops.

On the part of the kidneys, polyuria and nephrocalcinosis are detected. General clinical symptoms include weakness, increased fatigue, dehydration, weight loss and itchy skin. Hypercalcemia in bone metastases can remain unrecognized for a long time, since doctors interpret the manifestations of this pathology as signs of progression of the underlying cancer disease or as by-effect chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Pathological fractures

Pathological fractures occur when more than 50% of the cortex is destroyed. Most often found in the vertebrae, the second most common is femur fractures, usually in the neck or diaphysis. Distinctive feature pathological fractures of the spine with metastases to the bones is the multiplicity of lesions (at the same time, a violation of the integrity of several vertebrae is detected). As a rule, the thoracic or lumbar region is affected. Damage may be accompanied by compression of the nerve roots or spinal cord.

Reason pathological fracture with bone metastases, a minor traumatic effect may occur, for example, a weak blow or even an awkward turn in bed. Sometimes such fractures appear spontaneous, that is, they arose without any external reasons. A fracture may be accompanied by displacement of fragments. Impaired function of the limbs in fractures of long tubular bones and neurological disorders in fractures of the spine become one of the leading factors in the deterioration of the patient’s quality of life.

Spinal cord compression

Spinal cord compression is detected in 1-5% of patients with metastatic lesions of the spine. In 70% of cases, the cause of disorders is metastases in thoracic vertebrae, in 20% - in the lumbar and sacral vertebrae, in 10% of cases – in cervical vertebrae. With bone metastases, both acute (when compressed by a bone fragment) and gradually progressive (when compressed by a growing tumor) disorders can be detected. When compressed by a growing tumor, patients with bone metastases experience increasing pain. Muscle weakness develops and sensory disturbances are detected. At the final stage, paresis, paralysis and dysfunction of the pelvic organs occur.

When compressed by a bone fragment, the clinical picture of spinal cord compression develops suddenly. At the initial stages, both types of compression are reversible (fully or partially). In the absence of timely medical care Within a few hours or days, the paralysis becomes irreversible. Timely adequate treatment can reduce the severity of symptoms, but restoration of the ability to move independently is observed in only 10% of patients with already developed paralysis.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is established on the basis of anamnesis (data on the presence of primary malignant neoplasm), clinical picture and results additional research. The lack of information about an already diagnosed cancer is not a basis for excluding bone metastases, since the primary tumor may be asymptomatic. In the presence of neurological disorders perform a neurological examination. At the initial stage of the examination, scintigraphy is performed. Patients are then sent for X-ray, CT or MRI of the bone to clarify the nature and extent of the lesion. To detect hypercalcemia, a biochemical blood test is prescribed.

Treatment of bone metastases

Treatment tactics are determined taking into account the type and location of the primary tumor, the number and location of metastases in the bone, the presence of metastases in other organs and tissues, the presence or absence of complications, age and general condition sick. Surgical interventions are palliative in nature and are indicated in the presence of complications (pathological fractures, spinal cord compression). The purpose of surgery for bone metastases is to eliminate or reduce pain, restore limb or spinal cord function, and create more favorable conditions for patient care.

When deciding on surgical intervention, the prognosis is taken into account. Prognostically favorable factors are the slow growth of the primary tumor, a long period of absence of relapses, a small single metastasis in the bone, the presence radiological signs bone sclerosis after conservative treatment and satisfactory condition of the patient. In such cases, extensive surgical interventions can be performed (installation of plates, pins, Ilizarov apparatuses).

With aggressive growth of the primary tumor, frequent relapses, multiple metastases, especially with simultaneous damage to internal organs, large size metastasis in the bone, the absence of signs of sclerosis on the radiograph and the unsatisfactory condition of the patient, surgical interventions on tubular bones are not recommended even in the presence of a pathological fracture. In cases where surgical intervention contraindicated; gentle fixation methods are used (for example, a derotation boot for a femoral neck fracture).

Emergency care for bone metastases complicated by spinal cord compression includes vascular drugs, means to improve metabolism nerve tissue and high doses of dexamethasone. In case of compression of the nervous tissue due to the growth of metastasis in the bone, decompression laminectomy is performed; in case of compression of the spinal cord as a result of a pathological fracture of the vertebra, decompression and stabilization operations are performed: plate fixation or transpedicular fixation, restoration of the vertebrae using bone cement, auto- and allografts, etc.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for bone metastases are used in the process of combined conservative therapy, during preparation for surgery and in postoperative period. For hypercalcemia, rehydration is carried out using intravenous infusions of saline solutions. Patients with bone metastases are prescribed loop diuretics (furosemide), corticosteroid drugs and bisphosphonates. The effect of therapy lasts for 3-5 weeks, then the course of treatment is repeated.

Forecast

The prognosis for metastases to bones is more favorable compared to metastases to internal organs. Average duration life is 2 years. The quality and, in some cases, life expectancy depend on the presence or absence of complications, which makes it important to take preventive measures when metastases are detected in the skeletal bones. For metastases to the spine, it is recommended to avoid heavy lifting and rest in a lying position several times during the day. In some cases, at a certain stage of therapy, wearing a corset or head holder is indicated. If the femur is affected, during the treatment period it is recommended to unload the limb as much as possible using a cane or crutches. Physiotherapy for any bone metastases is contraindicated. Patients need to undergo regular examinations to ensure timely detection of relapses of the disease.