How is bone cancer diagnosed?
- Diagnosis of bone cancer begins by taking the patient’s medical and family history, then clinical examination and evaluation of the symptoms that the patient complains about.
- After that, the doctor orders some tests and imaging tests to help in the diagnosis.
- Imaging tests may indicate the presence of bone cancer, but in most cases, the doctor must confirm the presence of the disease by examining a sample of tissue or cells under a microscope, known as a biopsy to prove the presence of cancer cells, as there are other diseases such as osteitis whose symptoms are similar Symptoms of bone cancer, as well as imaging findings.
Tests to detect bone cancer (sarcoma of bone) include:
- X-rays: Most bone cancers appear on bone X-rays, and the bone may appear rough instead of solid at the site of cancer. Cancer can also appear in the form of a defect such as a hole in the bone.
- Computed tomography: CT scan helps detect cancer. It also helps to know if bone cancer has spread to the lungs, liver, or other organs. CT scan also shows lymph nodes and distant organs.
- Magnetic resonance imaging: Because the symptoms of bone cancer may resemble symptoms of other diseases, the doctor usually resorts to magnetic resonance imaging, as it is the best test for detecting bone tumors. It also helps to see the bone marrow and the soft tissues surrounding the tumor, such as nerves and blood vessels.
- Radioisotopic bone imaging: This procedure helps to show whether cancer has spread to other bones, and can find metastasized foci faster than regular X-rays. It also shows the extent of damage from cancer in the bones.
This test is done by giving the patient an injection of a radioactive substance that does not cause any long-term effects. This substance is attracted to diseased bone cells throughout the skeleton, and may also indicate the presence of areas of secondary cancer.
Arthritis, infection, or other bone diseases can present a picture similar to cancer as well as symptoms similar to those of bone cancer. To distinguish between these conditions, the doctor may use other imaging tests or take bone biopsies.
- Positron emission tomography: Positron emission tomography is useful in searching for cancer throughout the body, and sometimes helps to know if the tumor is cancerous or benign, and it is combined with CT scans to determine the best types of cancer.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is the taking of a sample of tumor tissue and examining it under a microscope. A CT scan is used to accurately guide the biopsy needle to the suspected malignancy.
A biopsy is the only way to confirm bone cancer when symptoms are mixed with those of bone cancer, as well as to confirm imaging results.
A biopsy can help the doctor determine whether the bone cancer is primary or secondary.