Bone Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Types and PET CT as diagnostic tool

Bone cancer is the term used for several different cancers; it is the condition that occurs due to uncontrolled division of cells in the bones. Primary bone cancer develops from the bones where as secondary bone cancers are spread from other parts of the body. Bone cancer is fatal condition, if it is not treated early. Bone cancers are fatal if left untreated for long time. There are various tests which are used for the diagnosis of bone cancer like biopsy, MRI, CT, PET CT etc.  The most common radioactive tracer used in the bone cancer scan is 18F-FDG or 18F-Sodium Fluoride. PET CT is preferred tool for the detection of bone cancer because of its specificity, accuracy and can detect minor changes in cells. It is important to consult doctor before going for any type of PET CT scan, doctor will suggest only after knowing the background history and the symptoms related to bone scan. There are various symptoms of bone cancer like bone pain, difficulty in walking, feeling lumps, fever, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, swelling around bones etc.

Bone Cancer

Bone cancer is the term used for the different types of cancers that occur in the bones. Bone cancer is uncontrolled growth of cells in the bones which leads to the formation of tumors. If the cancer begins with the bones, it is called primary bone cancer and the bone cancer which spread from other parts of the body are called secondary or metastatic bone cancers.  There is not any specific cause of the bone cancer but researchers believe DNA mutations modify the cell signaling and lead to uncontrolled growth of cells. Bone cancers are fatal, if these are not treated in time and can also spread to other parts of the body.

What are the symptoms of Bone cancer?

There are symptoms which are related to bone cancers and these symptoms include:

• Pain in bones
• Lumps in the bones
• Swelling and redness around the bones
• Difficulty in walking
• Fatigue
• Weak bones susceptible to fractures
• Unexplained weight loss

What are the causes of Bone Cancer?

There is not any single significant cause of the bone cancer; researchers believe that there are various factors which can lead to bone cancer. These factors include:

• Genetic factors and mutations to bone cells
• Li-Fraumeni syndrome
• TP53 and Rb1 genes
• Cancer treatment 
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy 
• Benign bone condition
• Paget disease
• Enchondromas
• Chronic bone infections
• Radiation exposure
• Environmental factors
• Chemical exposure
• Bone injuries

Which type of bone cancers that can be detected by PET CT scan?

There are different types of bone cancers based on the origin, stage and the involvement of bones. PET CT scan bone can detect different types of bone cancers like:

• Osteosarcoma
• Ewing sarcoma
• Chondrosarcoma
• Chordoma
• Fibrosarcoma
• Giant cell tumor
• Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma

What can Bone PET CT scan show?

PET CT bone can show different types of bone cancers and also its spread. Bone PET is effective tool in recognizing cancer at the early stage and helps for treatment and limits the spread of the bone cancer. There are various conditions which can be shown by bone cancer and these include:

• It is used to show the type of bone cancer
• It is used to show the spread of bone cancer
• It detects, whether it is primary or secondary bone cancer
• It is used to show the primary source of bone cancer
• It helps to detect the recurrence of bone cancer
• It identifies the cellular changes in bone cancer
• It detects any abnormal activity in bone cells
• It also helps to monitor the treatment of bone cancer
• It is also used before doing any surgery to look for the status of the cancer
• Monitoring treatment responses on bone cancer

How to Prepare for Bone PET-CT Scan?

A Bone PET-CT scan using 18F-FDG or 18F-Sodium Fluoride as contrast material requires prior consultation with a radiologist to ensure safety and effectiveness. Patients must provide their medical history, including medications and allergies. 18F-FDG or 18F-Sodium Fluoride is injected on the day of the scan, followed by about an hour of rest to allow the tracer to localize in active bone areas. The scan itself takes 30–60 minutes, during which patients must stay still for clear imaging. The entire process typically lasts up to 2 hours and helps detect bone abnormalities for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

Conclusion

In conclusion, PET-CT is an effective diagnostic tool for the detection of bone cancers. Early identification of bone cancer can be game changer in the treatment of the bone cancer.  Bone cancer is uncontrolled division of cells which can form tumors; these cells can also spread to other parts of the body if not treated early. The main cause of bone cancer is not known but researchers believe that DNA mutation in the cells can lead to this condition. There are various symptoms which can indicate the bone cancer and these include bone pain, swelling and redness around the bone, lumps in bone, difficulty in walking etc. Various types of bone cancers can be detect by PET CT scan like Osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Chordoma, Fibrosarcoma etc. Doctor can suggest PET CT scan for the bone if he suspects symptoms that coincides with the bone cancer.