Primary bone tumors are rare, but metastases to the bones, that is, bone involvement resulting from other types of tumors, is relatively common.
According to Dr. Lucíola Pontes, oncologist at Hcor, it is very common for people to go to the orthopedist complaining of pain and discover the metastasis, based on imaging tests. “Generally, bone tumors are a metastatic presentation of other tumors. A person can have primary breast cancer, for example, and the tumor spreads to the bone,” she explains.
According to the specialist, bone cancer is difficult to diagnose. However, she warns that it is necessary to be aware of pain that does not go away. “If a person notices a strange pain in a bone and it takes a long time to go away, it should be investigated”, she points out.
Furthermore, there are no specific risk factors for the development of these tumors. In the case of sarcomas, which are tumors that arise directly in the bones, it is common for them to affect younger people. However, there is no genetic predisposition and not even a form of targeted prevention.
Dr. Lucíola draws attention to other symptoms that may be a sign that the individual should seek help, such as swelling in the bone, local pain and, in some cases, a certain deformation and warmth. “It is important to remember that this swelling can be confused with thrombosis”, she reinforces.
It is common for this type of cancer to affect long bones, such as those in the legs and arms, but it can also affect the ribs and even the lumbar spine. “Working from home made people sit longer, so complaints of low back pain increased a lot. If it is a strange pain that, even with medication, does not go away, the person has to look for an orthopedist and undergo tests that help detect possible metastases, which are magnetic resonance imaging, tomography and bone scintigraphy”, concludes Dr. Luciola Pontes.
