If you have primary bone cancer, the outlook depends on the grade and stage of your tumour. The stages describe how quickly the cancer might grow and whether it has spread to other parts of your body, like the lungs.
You will be cared for by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of doctors who specialise in treating bone cancer, including orthopaedic surgeons and clinical oncologists. They will also refer you to specialist nurses and radiologists.
Chemotherapy is the main treatment for bone cancer that starts in a bone (primary bone cancer). It can also be used to treat cancer that has spread to the bone from another part of the body (secondary or metastatic bone cancer). At UC San Diego Health, we are a leading center for treating primary and secondary bone cancers. Our experts put your needs at the center of your care.
Your doctor will discuss the best treatment options for you with you. They will consider your age, general health and preferences. They will also explain the benefits and possible side effects of each option. This is called weighing up the pros and cons of your treatment.
Bone cancer is a type of sarcoma, and it often grows quickly. For this reason, some types of chemotherapy are given before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove. This is called preoperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It can also increase the chance of a cure and help you live longer.
For about nine out of 10 people with osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, doctors can remove the cancerous area of the bone and save the limb in a operation called limb-saving surgery. This is usually done under a general anaesthetic, and it involves removing the affected bone along with some surrounding normal-looking tissue. This helps to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
You may have radiation therapy to the bones after surgery, or it can be used as a way of controlling pain when a cure isn’t possible. It uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells and can be used before surgery to shrink the tumour, after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells and to relieve symptoms, or after chemotherapy to destroy any cancer that hasn’t been killed by the drugs. A type of radiation called stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) may be used to treat some bone sarcomas that have spread to the lungs, or when surgery isn’t possible or appropriate.
Most people who are treated for bone cancer go into remission. After your treatment, you will have regular tests to check that the cancer hasn’t returned. This will include X-rays, blood tests and sometimes MRI scans. You will also have regular appointments with your general practitioner or a specialist clinic. You should also talk to your doctor if you are interested in taking part in a clinical trial of new treatments for bone cancer.
Cancerous (malignant) bone cells divide and multiply uncontrollably, forming a lump or mass of abnormal tissue called a tumour. Some bone tumours are benign (not cancerous) but others can be life-threatening and spread to other parts of the body, usually in the lungs (metastasis).
Bone cancer that has spread is usually treated differently to primary bone cancer and may be called advanced or terminal cancer. Treatment aims to control the cancer and help relieve symptoms.
Radiation therapy uses high energy rays to destroy cancer cells and reduce the chance of the cancer coming back after surgery. It is usually given before surgery, to help make the operation easier and safer, or after the operation to kill any remaining cancer cells.
The type of radiation used depends on the type and location of the bone cancer. Your cancer doctor or specialist nurse will discuss the best options for you.
Before you start any treatment, your doctor will use X-rays and other tests to see how the bone cancer is developing. They will also take a small sample of tissue from the area to examine under a microscope (a biopsy). This is a very important test as it gives your healthcare team information about what type of treatment might work best for you.
You will be treated by a group of specialists who specialise in cancer and bones and joints (oncologists and orthopaedic surgeons). They will discuss your treatment with you and agree on a plan for you. They will also talk about what to expect and things to think about.
Your doctors will also use a system called staging to describe how far the cancer has progressed. This helps them decide on the best treatment for you.
For most types of bone cancer, the lower the grade, the more likely it is to be cured with surgery and other treatments. High grades are more likely to be aggressive and spread.
Some people with bone cancer develop changes in the bone that affect how it bends and moves, for example in the wrists or knees. This is called Paget’s disease of the bone and may increase your risk of developing a bone cancer in later life.
When a bone tumor develops, doctors may remove it with surgery. They also might repair or replace damaged bones to stop cancer cells from spreading. If the tumor has spread to other parts of the body, your doctor might remove a larger area of your skin and tissue, or a limb, to prevent it from growing back. You and your doctor will discuss your treatment options based on your type of bone cancer, stage (how quickly the cancer is growing) and other health factors.
The medical team that treats you for bone cancer will include doctors who specialize in cancer (oncologists and radiation oncologists) and doctors who treat bones and joints (orthopaedic surgeons). They work together to decide on the best treatment for you.
Your doctor will take a detailed history of your symptoms and examine you. They will order blood tests to check your general health. Then, they will use X-rays and CT or MRI scans to view the inside of your bones and see any abnormalities. These tests help them determine the stage and grade of your cancer.
A biopsy is the removal of some of the bone cancer cells and tissues for examination under a microscope. It helps your doctors know what kind of cancer you have and how quickly it is growing so they can plan your treatment.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and reduce the chance of them growing again. It is given before or after surgery, and sometimes as part of chemotherapy. Your doctor may recommend immunotherapy to boost your immune system and make your body better able to fight the cancer, or participate in a clinical trial of new treatments for bone sarcoma.
The physical changes from treatment can affect your self-image. Your doctor can refer you to support groups that can help you cope. Palliative care can relieve pain and other uncomfortable side effects of treatment. Your doctor will talk to you about palliative care, and your GP or specialist nurse can also help. Your doctor will arrange follow-up tests to look for signs that the cancer has returned or spread.
The immune system can help destroy bone cancer cells, and medicines called immunotherapies are a type of treatment that boosts the body’s own defenses against disease. These treatments may include injections of a monoclonal antibody that targets a specific cancer cell, a drug that suppresses the immune system, or a combination of both. Your doctor will discuss which option is right for you.
The type of bone cancer you have determines what the most appropriate treatment is. There are two types of primary bone cancer — osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma — and secondary bone cancer, which is when cancer spreads to the bones from somewhere else in the body. The treatment for each is slightly different.
Symptoms of bone cancer can be hard to notice. They often come and go, and may be similar to symptoms of other diseases, including infections or injuries. Your doctor can diagnose a bone tumor by conducting a physical exam and ordering blood tests or X-rays. A biopsy is usually needed to confirm the diagnosis and learn more about the tumor, such as its grade.
A low grade tumor means the cancer cells look similar to normal bone cells and are slow-growing. A high grade tumor means the cancer cells look very different from normal bone cells and are more likely to grow quickly and spread.
Most people who get bone cancer have it in a bone in their arms, legs, pelvis or spine. They also can have it in the soft tissue around the bones, such as tendons, ligaments or fat. Cancer that starts in the soft tissue around the bones is called soft tissue sarcoma and is treated differently than bone cancer.
Bone cancer is rare, but it’s important to see your doctor if you have any symptoms. The sooner you start treatment, the better your chances of beating it. Talk with your doctor about your concerns, and ask about support groups for people who have had cancer. You can also consider participating in a clinical trial of a new treatment. Many of the cancer treatments that are common today started out in clinical trials.
The first symptom of bone cancer is usually pain that doesn’t go away. This can start in the bone or in nearby soft tissue, and it may get worse during movement.
X-rays show the location, size and shape of a tumor. Doctors can also use CT or MRI scans to see inside the bones.
The most common symptom of bone cancer is pain in the area of the tumor. The pain may be constant or it might come and go. It might get worse at night or when you use the affected bone. The pain might feel like a general soreness or it might be felt as a sharp, burning or stabbing sensation. The pain might also cause a lump or bruise in the area of the tumor. The pain can be hard to diagnose because it is often mistaken for other conditions such as arthritis or growing pains in children and teenagers.
The pain of bone cancer is caused when the cancer disrupts the balance of normal cellular activity in the bone. Cancer cells that have spread to the bones from other parts of the body disturb the normal balance between osteoclasts (cells that break down bone) and osteoblasts (cells that build bone). This causes the bone tissue to be weakened or it can cause excessively built-up bone that pushes against nerves within the bone. Cancer-induced bone pain is also associated with changes in the periosteum, which is the thick covering of the bones.
When the cancer is in a long bone such as the limbs, pelvis or spine, it can also affect movement. The tumor can press on the nerves coming out of the spinal cord, which can cause numbness and tingling in the arms or legs. It can also cause problems controlling the bladder or bowel.
In advanced stages, the cancer can start to spread to other parts of the body. This can cause other symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss and a cough. Bone cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is called metastatic disease.
A new treatment for bone pain is being tested in people with cancer that has spread to the bone. The drug, tanezumab, blocks the action of a molecule that sends messages to nerves to cause pain. It is being studied in phase 3 clinical trials for patients with metastatic bone cancer from other organs, including breast, prostate and lung cancers.
Some cancers can make the bone weaker, so that it fractures (breaks) easily. This may happen if the tumor is near a joint, or if it starts in the limb bones, such as the arms and legs. If a bone with a tumor breaks, the person may walk with a limp. Occasionally, people with a bone tumor develop other symptoms, such as fever and night sweats. Other less common symptoms of bone sarcoma include weight loss and anemia, which is low levels of red blood cells.
The first symptom is often pain in a bone, but not all types of bone cancer cause this. It is important to see a doctor if the pain does not improve after taking pain relievers. The doctor will ask about the type and location of the pain, how long it has been present, and when it started. The doctor will also do an examination and order X-rays or other tests to find out the cause of the pain.
A diagnosis of bone cancer can be very distressing and upsetting for the patient. In addition, the disease can affect the way that a person feels about themselves, their relationships and sex. The doctor can refer patients to a specialist counsellor or therapist to help with these issues.
Bone cancer is classified into different stages based on how quickly it grows and whether it spreads to other parts of the body. Primary bone cancer, which forms in the bones themselves, is rare. It is caused by cancerous cells that start in the bones, such as osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma, or in the immature nerve tissue of the bone marrow, such as chondrosarcoma. It is different from cancer that spreads to the bone from another part of the body, which is called metastatic cancer. It usually starts in the breasts, lungs or other organs and then moves to the bone. The most common metastatic bone cancer is multiple myeloma. This is a cancer of the plasma cells that can cause tumors in several bones. It is found mainly in older adults.
When a tumour grows, it can press on nerves. This can cause changes in sensation, such as numbness and tingling. It can happen in the areas around the bones where the tumour is, or it can spread to other parts of the body. Numbness or tingling can also be a symptom of other diseases or conditions that affect the blood supply to the bones, such as diabetes or vitamin deficiencies.
It can be hard to diagnose bone cancer early, because the symptoms are very similar to other health problems. If you have unexplained ache or pain, see your GP. They will talk to you about your symptoms and examine you. They may suggest X-rays or other tests.
If the doctor thinks you might have bone cancer, they will refer you to a specialist. They might send you straight to a bone cancer doctor, or you might have more general medical tests first. They will ask you about your past health, your family history and what treatments you have had.
Most types of primary bone cancer are found in long bones, such as the femur and shinbone. These are called osteosarcomas. Other bone cancers can be found in the pelvic bones, the chest or arms, and they are called sarcomas. Bone cancer can also start in the soft tissue surrounding the bones, called the marrow. This type of cancer is called multiple myeloma (MM).
Some treatments for bone cancer can also reduce the risk of numbness or tingling. These include surgery to remove the tumour, and chemotherapy to shrink the tumour or kill any cancer cells that are left. They can also use drugs to stop bone cancer from growing.
If your bone cancer is advanced, you might not be able to have treatment that can cure you. But treatment can help control your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
If your doctor thinks you are suitable, they might offer you the chance to take part in a clinical research trial. This will help them find new and better ways to treat bone cancer.
Bone cancer occurs when abnormal cells begin to grow in a bone. These abnormal cells may grow out of control, forming a mass that doctors call a tumor or a tumour. Most types of bone cancer are called sarcomas and they can affect any bone in the body, but they often start in long bones of the legs or arms.
The most common symptom of bone cancer is pain, but the symptoms can vary depending on where the tumour is located and how large it is. The pain can be a persistent ache, or it can come and go. It may be present all the time, or it might only happen at night. The pain can be felt in the area where the tumour is, or it can be felt elsewhere in the body (referred pain).
Other less common symptoms include a fever, sweating and weight loss. It’s also possible for a bone with a tumour to break (fracture) easily, which can cause a limp. Some people with a bone cancer have a general feeling of being unwell, and this can be hard to explain to their doctor because the symptoms are similar to many other conditions such as arthritis or sports injuries.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible. They will be able to help you find the right treatment for your symptoms.
You might have an X-ray or an MRI scan to look for the tumour and check that it hasn’t spread to other parts of the body. Your doctor might also recommend blood tests to measure your general health and to check if you have an infection that needs treatment.
Having bone cancer or being treated for it can change the way you feel about yourself, other people and relationships, and this can be very difficult to talk about. Your doctor will be very understanding and can refer you to a counsellor if necessary. They can offer support on issues such as body image, sex and relationships. They will also give you information on palliative care if your cancer is advanced and it’s unlikely to be cured.
The outlook for bone cancer depends on the type and whether it spreads. People with cancer that has not spread have a good chance of living for many years after diagnosis.
X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and CT scans help doctors find and diagnose bone tumors. Doctors can also use a needle (fine needle aspiration or core needle biopsy) to remove fluid and cells from a bone tumor for laboratory testing.
A bone tumor may cause pain, swelling or a tender lump. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. He or she will also order imaging tests to look at the structure of your bones. These include computed tomography (CT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and x-rays. A dye might be injected into your vein to help the doctors see better.
Bone cancer can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms mimic common musculoskeletal injuries. It can also take a long time to get a diagnosis because the cancer is so rare and physicians have little experience diagnosing it. If your doctor suspects a bone cancer, he or she will refer you to a specialist sarcoma center for multidisciplinary care.
The team will use information about your symptoms, a physical examination and imaging tests to diagnose the type and stage of your bone cancer. The team may include an orthopedic oncologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and radiologist, or a hematologist (doctor who treats blood disorders).
If your bone cancer is at a very early stage and it seems contained to the area where it started, your doctor might recommend surgery alone. Surgery removes the tumor and some of the surrounding healthy tissue. In some cases, doctors might replace the removed bone with a metal implant. Doctors might also use chemotherapy drugs before or after surgery to kill any cancer cells that remain.
Some types of bone cancer are more likely to spread to other parts of the body. This is called metastatic bone cancer. It is more serious and harder to treat than primary bone cancer.
After completing your treatment, your doctor will monitor you for signs of the cancer coming back. These might include a change in the size of your tumor, new lumps or an increased amount of fluid around your bone. Your doctor might also recommend follow-up X-rays or other tests to see if your bone cancer has come back. If it has, your doctor might give you more treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
Bone cancer occurs when bone cells grow out of control and form a mass, or tumor. Most bone tumors are benign (not cancerous). However, some are malignant (cancerous). Benign bone tumors usually don’t spread to other parts of the body. Some types of malignant bone tumors are osteoblastoma, giant cell tumor of bone, and multiple myeloma.
Bone Cancer is often diagnosed with X-rays and other imaging tests, such as a CT scan or an MRI scan. These tests can show the size and location of a tumor. They can also help the doctor determine whether the cancer has spread from the bone to other organs in the body, which is called metastatic disease.
If the doctor thinks a bone tumor might be cancer, the doctor may do a biopsy to test the tissue for cancer cells. This is done by inserting a needle into the tumor or cutting into it with a knife and then removing a sample of tissue for testing. The tissue is then analyzed by a pathologist, who looks for cancer cells in the tissue.
The doctor can then use the results of the biopsy to stage the tumor, which means figuring out how serious it is. The stages are 0 through 4. The lower the stage, the less likely the cancer is to spread.
In addition to surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be used. Radiation therapy kills cancer cells with strong X-rays and can be given before or after surgery. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. These drugs can be taken by mouth or injected into a vein (IV).
Surgery to remove the tumor is the main treatment for most types of bone cancer. The surgeon can remove only part of the tumor or the entire tumor, preserving nearby muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In some cases, the surgeon may need to repair or rebuild the bones with real or artificial bone grafts.
Some people who have bone cancer are at a higher risk of getting it again. This is because cancer cells can move from the bones to other areas of the body, such as the lungs or skin. The chances of cancer spreading are also higher if someone has had radiation, stem cell transplants, or certain chemotherapy drugs for other diseases.
Whether a person is diagnosed with primary bone cancer or secondary bone cancer (sarcoma that has spread from elsewhere in the body), treatment options vary. The stage of the cancer determines what kind of surgery is needed and how aggressive treatment can be.
Your doctor will examine you and may order a blood test to check your general health. You might also have other tests, such as a CT scan or an MRI to get pictures of the inside of your bones. These pictures will show any abnormalities.
A surgeon may do a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and determine how serious it is. During a fine needle aspiration biopsy, the surgeon uses a fine needle to remove fluid and cells from the tumor. A core needle biopsy uses a larger needle to take more tissue for analysis. In an excisional biopsy, the surgeon removes part or all of the tumor for diagnosis. A bone graft can be used to replace the tissue that is removed.
Most primary bone sarcomas are found in bones in the arms or legs. The surgeon can almost always perform limb-sparing surgery, which removes the tumor and keeps the function of the arm or leg. If the tumor is in a very long bone, such as in the spine or pelvis, surgery might be more complicated.
It is less common for cancer to start in the bone of the head or neck, but it does happen. This type of bone cancer is called chordoma and usually develops in children and adolescents. The cause of this rare cancer is not known.
If the cancer has reached stage 2, it means that it has grown and contains high-grade cells but has not spread to other parts of the body. People with this stage of bone cancer are at higher risk for the disease to recur.
If the cancer has reached stage 4, it has spread to other parts of the body and is more likely to be life-threatening. The surgeon can still treat it with chemotherapy and radiation but the prognosis is poor.
After the treatment is over, your doctor will want to keep a close watch on you. This means regular physical examinations and medical tests like blood and imaging tests (like CT scans or X-rays). These help your doctor to see whether the cancer has come back or is spreading. It is important to tell your doctor about any new symptoms or problems that occur, even if they seem minor. This will help your doctor to check if they are caused by the bone cancer returning or by another health problem.
It is also important to follow healthy habits to improve your overall health. These include not smoking, eating well and getting enough exercise. These will not prevent cancer or its recurrence, but they may help to reduce your risk of developing other health problems in the future.
Survivors of bone cancer are at higher risk of developing other types of cancer, especially leukemia (cancer of the white blood cells). It is important for you to tell your doctor if you have ever had any other health problems.
You might have a blood test to measure the levels of a protein called alkaline phosphatase, which is made by the bones. Some people with osteosarcoma have high levels of this protein in their blood and doctors might use it to check if the cancer has come back.
Some people who have had osteosarcoma will have chest X-rays to see whether the cancer has spread to the lungs. These might be done every few months or years for several years. Other tests might be needed depending on your condition.
Almost all cancer treatments have side effects. Some of these might last for a short time while others might be permanent. It is important to discuss any concerns with your doctor, especially if they affect your daily life and quality of life. This will help your doctor to decide what treatment or care is best for you. Your doctor might refer you to a specialist in the field of bone cancer for further assessment and treatment if necessary.
Osteosarcoma happens when bone-forming cells grow out of control and make a tumor (a group of cancerous cells). This tumor can be located in one bone or it can spread, or metastasize, to other bones in the body.
It is the most common type of bone cancer in children and teens. It is less common in adults than other types of bone cancer, but it still occurs about 1,000 times each year in the United States.
The outlook (prognosis) for osteosarcoma has improved greatly over the years. Today, doctors are able to treat this cancer without amputating bones and in almost all cases can save the affected limb.
To diagnose osteosarcoma, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms. Then your doctor will order imaging tests to check for the tumor and see if it has spread. The most common tests include X-rays, CT scan and MRI.
If your doctor thinks you may have osteosarcoma, you will need a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. A biopsy is a medical procedure where your doctor removes a small sample of the tumor and sends it to a laboratory for testing. This test is done under local anesthesia, meaning medicine is used to numb the area where the biopsy will be taken. Your doctor can use a needle or they can open the skin with an incision to get the sample.
When the biopsy is complete, your doctor will determine the stage of the osteosarcoma. The stages of osteosarcoma are defined by the number and size of the tumor cells, and how fast the tumor grows. In general, higher-grade tumors are more difficult to treat.
Treatment for osteosarcoma often includes surgery and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a group of drugs that kill cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing. It is usually given before surgery to shrink the tumor and kill any cancer cells that are floating in your bloodstream. It is also sometimes given after surgery to catch any remaining cancer cells. It is sometimes combined with radiation therapy.
Some people who have been treated for osteosarcoma will develop side effects months or years after their treatment is over. These side effects are called late effects and can affect both men and women. Some late effects of osteosarcoma treatment can affect fertility, so it is important to talk to your doctor about these issues if you are planning to have children in the future.
Ewing’s sarcoma is a type of cancer that affects bones and sometimes the tissue around them. It mainly happens in children and young adults. It is very fast-growing, and can spread to the lungs and other bones in the body. This is why it is important to get treatment as quickly as possible.
Medical researchers don’t know exactly what causes this tumor, but they do know that a genetic mutation can cause it to grow. The mutation makes normal cells change into cancerous ones that form tumors on bones or in soft tissue.
The most common signs and symptoms of this tumor are pain in a bone or the area around it. It may also feel warm or soft to the touch. Bones that are affected by this tumor may break or bend easily.
Doctors diagnose this tumor by looking at a sample of the affected bone or tissue. They will use special tests to find out if the cells are cancerous and where they are located in the body. They may also order a blood test to see how many red and white blood cells are in the body. This can help doctors determine if the tumor has spread to other parts of the body.
There are a few different treatments for Ewing’s sarcoma. One is to remove the tumor and part of the bone where it is located. They will then treat the rest of the bone with radiation. This can be done with a machine called a linear accelerator or with high-energy radiation beams. The goal of this treatment is to kill the remaining cancer cells and prevent them from growing again.
This treatment is usually followed by chemotherapy. This can be given in the hospital or at home. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill the cancer cells and prevent them from coming back. This can be given on its own or with surgery and radiation therapy.
There are other ways to treat Ewing’s sarcoma, including using a vaccine that targets the protein in the tumor. There are also new medicines that can target the protein and stop it from working.
Spindle cell sarcoma is a rare malignant tumor that can occur in the bones or soft tissue. It most commonly affects the limbs, pelvis, and spine. It occurs in both men and women, and it is typically diagnosed in adults of middle or older age.
Like many types of cancer, spindle cell sarcoma can be hard to diagnose. Your healthcare provider may perform several tests and procedures to look for the cancer and determine its stage. Staging is how your healthcare provider classifies the severity of your cancer based on the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
Your healthcare provider will take a sample of your bone for a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of spindle cell sarcoma. A needle biopsy is typically performed under local anesthesia. A larger, open biopsy is usually only done if the needle biopsy results are inconclusive or more investigation is needed.
A computed tomography scan (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important tool for diagnosing spindle cell sarcoma because it helps your healthcare provider see the area more clearly and can detect the presence of a pathological fracture. Pathological fractures are breaks in a bone that happen because the cancer has weakened it. If a pathological fracture is present, this can increase the likelihood of cancer cells getting into the bloodstream and spreading to other parts of the body.
Treatment for spindle cell sarcoma is generally chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered X-rays or other forms of energy to kill cancer cells and shrink the size of the tumor. In rare cases, cancers that have been treated with radiation can recur in the same location. This is called a radiation-associated cancer and usually develops several years after the initial radiation treatment.
A 40-year-old woman presented with a painful and swelling mass in the left upper thigh. CT scanning revealed an encapsulated mass with serous mucinous fluid. During surgery, the mass was excised and the pathology was consistent with spindle cell non-osteogenic bone sarcoma.
Chordoma is a very rare malignant bone tumor that usually forms in the bones of the skull or spine. It starts in cells that form the notochord, a collection of cells important for spinal development before birth. Most of these cells disappear at birth or shortly after, but sometimes they can linger and develop into chordoma. It is a slow-growing tumor and typically does not spread to other parts of the body. It affects men more than women and is most often diagnosed in adults between 40 and 60.
The diagnosis of a spinal chordoma begins with a medical history, a general physical exam and a neurological exam. Based on this information, a doctor may suspect a spinal tumor and refer you to a neurologist or a specialist in brain and spinal tumors (a neurosurgeon).
To diagnose a chordoma, doctors use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans. These help locate the location of a spinal tumor. These tests can also reveal any other parts of the body where the cancer has spread, which is called metastasis.
During a biopsy, your doctor will use a needle to get a sample of the chordoma for analysis. Because this type of tumor tends to grow along the path of the needle, a quick and accurate biopsy is critical for diagnosis. If the biopsy is positive, your doctor will likely recommend surgery to remove the chordoma.
Most patients with a spinal chordoma have a good prognosis. However, if the cancer has spread to the brain or other bones, the outlook is poorer.
To treat a spinal chordoma, your doctor will develop a treatment plan in consultation with experts in ear, nose and throat medicine (otolaryngology), cancer (oncology) and radiation therapy (radiation oncology). They may consult with specialists in endocrinology or ophthalmology if the patient has a skull base chordoma near the pituitary gland. Treatment options may include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Your doctor will discuss these options with you in detail.