Breast cancer can spread to the bones, causing secondary or metastatic breast cancer of the bone. Primary bone cancer is rare and starts in the bones. Diagnoses of both breast cancer and bone cancer are made in a similar way, and early detection is crucial for successful treatment.
Breast cancer is simply cancer that develops in the breast tissue. It is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, the first most common being skin cancer. If breast cancer is diagnosed early, there is a good chance for a complete cure. When diagnosis is delayed, cancer can metastasize — spread — to other parts of the body. When breast cancer spreads, one of the most common cancers it can cause is bone cancer – this is the link between breast cancer and bone cancer.
Primary bone cancer is cancer that has not been caused by metastasis of cancer from anywhere else in the body. It starts in the bones, usually the long bones of the arms and legs, although it can start in any bone. Some of the primary bone cancer types are osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing’s sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT). None of these are directly related to breast cancer and all are considered rare.
Bone cancer caused by a breast cancer metastasis is referred to as secondary or metastatic breast cancer of the bone. Breast cancer and bone cancer are often linked, as when breast cancer metastasizes it is not uncommon for it to spread to the bone. The cancer cells and tumors from metastasized cancer will be the same as from the primary cancer and are treated accordingly, no matter where they occur.
Diagnoses of both breast cancer and bone cancer are made in a similar way. Once cancer is suspected, the patient will undergo many tests to determine if cancer is present, what type of cancer it is, where it is, and how big the tumors are. Blood tests often give the first clue when some markers are outside the normal range. The patient’s history, especially any problems with pain, is also important. Tests that can provide images of the inside of the body are routine when cancer is suspected and may include X-rays, mammography, bone scans, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and an angiogram.
The combination of breast cancer and bone cancer is usually more difficult to treat than either, and its presence indicates that there are almost certainly cancerous cells in the bloodstream and lymphatic system. The course of treatment is based on the original cancer, breast cancer and chemotherapy, as well as other treatments are applied accordingly. No matter where you start, the sooner cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat and cure, and the less likely it is to spread to other parts of the body.
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