Most of the time when someone with cancer is told they have cancer in the bones, the doctor is talking about a cancer that has spread to the bones from somewhere else. This is called metastatic cancer. It can be seen in many different types of advanced cancer, like breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. There are several different types of bone tumors. Their names are based on the area of bone or surrounding tissue that is affected and the kind of cells forming the tumor..
All about primary bone cancer, which is cancer that starts in bone. The most common type is osteosarcoma. Information about symptoms and causes, tests to diagnose primary cancer of the bone, treatment including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and current research. Living with bone cancer covers coping with your diagnosis and managing after surgery.
There are more than 200 bones in the human body. The bones
The exact symptoms of bone cancer will vary, depending on the size of the cancer and where it is in the body. Common symptoms include
The area around the bone tumour may be painful or tender. The pain is often worse at night. If the tumour is close to a nerve, you may have pain that travels along the nerve. And you may feel the pain in a different part of the body to where the tumour is. This is called referred pain. There is more information about cancer and pain control in the coping physically with cancer section.
X-rays use a low dose of radiation to take pictures of the body. The bones show up well on X-rays and this is the first test you are likely to have. Sometimes X-rays can give a very typical picture, which can help the specialist to diagnose particular types of bone cancer. A primary bone tumour will usually show up as one of the following
A risk factor is anything that can increase your chance of developing a disease. Different cancers have different risk factors. We don’t know what causes most cases of bone cancer. But there are some factors that may increase your risk of developing bone cancer.
Remember that having one or more risk factors does not mean that you will definitely get a bone cancer. Many people with one or more risk factors never get it. And sometimes people with no risk factors may develop it. Risk factors are only a guide to what may increase the risk.
Not all the factors mentioned below increase your risk of bone cancer. We have included some because people commonly believe that they increase the risk but research has shown that they don't.
Skin cancer is by far the most common cancer.Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers - These cancers are most often found in areas exposed to the sun, such as the head, neck, and arms, but they may occur elsewhere too. Melanoma is a much less common but more serious skin cancer. Melanomas are usually brown or black, but can appear pink, tan, or even white. Lymphoma of the Skin - Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in cells that are part of the body's immune system. Rare lymphomas that start in the skin are called skin lymphomas (or cutaneous lymphomas).
Melanoma is a type of cancer of the skin. The skin is a body organ. We don't normally think of it as an organ because it is so big. The skin covers every part of the outside of the body. It does several jobs for us. It
The skin is made up of two layers, the epidermis and the dermis.
There are definite signs that a mole could be a melanoma and should be seen by a doctor. You need to go to the doctor straight away if you have a new mole or skin change, or if you have a mole that is
About 13,300 people are diagnosed with melanoma in the UK each year. It is the 5th most common cancer overall in the UK, excluding non melanoma skin cancer. The number of people getting melanoma now is more than 4 times higher than it was 30 years ago. In people over 15, the incidence steadily rises with age. It is now one of the most common types of cancer in people between the ages of 15 to 34. The highest incidence is in people over 80.
Primary brain tumors can start in almost any type of tissue or cell in the brain or spinal cord. Some tumors have a mixture of cell types. Please refer to the American Cancer Society for a complete list of brain cancer types.
The brain is the control centre of the body and mind. Everything we do, think or feel involves the brain. It controls the body by sending electrical messages along nerve fibres. The nerve fibres run out of the base of the brain and into the spinal cord.
The brain stem controls body functions that we usually don't think about. Blood pressure, swallowing, breathing and heartbeat are all managed by this area of the brain. The 2 main parts of the brain stem are called the pons and the medulla oblongata. The brain stem also includes a small area above the pons called the midbrain.
In most cases, we do not know what causes a brain tumour. We do know that they are not infectious. You can't catch a brain tumour. There are a few risk factors that we do know about.
As the skull is made of bone, there is a fixed amount of space for the brain to take up. The growing tumour increases the pressure inside this fixed space. This is called raised intracranial pressure or raised ICP. The increase in pressure causes the following effects.
Most common cancer in children include: • Leukemia • Brain and other central nervous system tumors • Neuroblastoma • Wilms tumor • Lymphoma (including both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin) • Rhabdomyosarcoma • Retinoblastoma -placement:same-cell; Bone cancer (including osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma).
On this page you can find out about the different types of childhood cancer and their causes. There are links to other pages on our site about specific cancer types.
There are many different types of cancer, so we have listed the most common symptoms below. You can find information about specific symptoms in the information about each type of cancer.
Cancer symptoms can be very similar to those of other illnesses. And they vary between children. If your child has a symptom we haven't included here, and it hasn't gone away after a few weeks, take them to the GP. The following symptoms are not usually cancer, but see your doctor if your child has any of these
The liver is the second largest organ in the body after the skin. It is found below your right lung and is protected by the lower ribs on that side. The liver is divided into 2 main lobes, the larger right lobe and smaller left lobe. At the back of the right lobe are 2 smaller lobes. The 2 main lobes are further divided into 8 segments.
The liver is the chemical factory of the body. It performs many important jobs including
Primary liver cancer is relatively rare in the UK, but it is increasing in number. Worldwide, it is the 6th most common cancer. The highest rates are in Eastern Asia.
What risk factors areDoctors usually define significant weight loss as more than 10% of your body weight - a stone for every 10 stone you weigh. Obviously losing weight doesn't mean you are ill if you are dieting or there is some other reason. But if there is no obvious explanation for your weight loss, you should see your doctor.
Lung cancer can start in the windpipe (trachea), the main airway (bronchus) or the lung tissue. Find out about symptoms, risk factors and causes of lung cancer, diagnostic tests, treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and biological therapy, likely outcome (prognosis), research and how to cope with lung cancer, including managing breathlessness.
These are part of the body system we use to breathe - the respiratory system. It is made up of the
By far the biggest cause of lung cancer is smoking. It causes more than 8 out of 10 cases (86%) including a small proportion caused by exposure to second hand smoke in non smokers (passive smoking).
Here are some facts about smoking and lung cancerAll about breast cancer, including symptoms, risk factors, causes, and preventing breast cancer. Screening and diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and breast cancer, including mammograms, ultrasound and biopsy.
The breasts are made up of
The breasts are not usually the same size as each other. They may also feel different at different times of the month – for example, just before a period they can feel lumpy.
An area of breast tissue, under the skin, leads into the armpit (axilla). The armpits have many lymph glands, also known as lymph nodes. There is also a chain of lymph nodes that runs up the centre of your chest, by your breast bone. This is called the internal mammary chain. The diagram shows the network of lymph glands around the breast.
For most women it is normal to have slightly uneven (asymmetrical) breasts. More research needs to be done before we know for sure how this may affect breast cancer risk. The important thing is to check your breasts regularly and be aware of how they usually look and feel. And to let your doctor know if you notice any changes, including unevenness.
The first symptom of breast cancer for many women is a lump in their breast. But many women have breast lumps and 9 out of 10 (90%) are benign. That means they are not cancers.
Breast pain is very common and is not usually due to cancer. Many healthy women find that their breasts feel lumpy and tender before a period. And some benign breast lumps are painful. Many women get pain in their breasts for a while, which goes after a time. There may be no obvious reason for the pain, even with lots of tests.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), also known as renal cell cancer or renal cell adenocarcinoma, is by far the most common type of kidney cancer. About 9 out of 10 kidney cancers are renal cell carcinomas. Please see the American Cancer Society's website for a complete list of other types of kidney cancers.
As blood passes through the kidneys, they collect waste products and unneeded water and turn them into urine. Inside the kidney, very small networks of tubes called nephrons filter the blood. Each kidney has about 1 million nephrons. Inside the nephrons, waste products move from the small blood vessels (the capillaries) into the urine collecting tubes. So as the blood passes through the blood vessels of the nephron, all unwanted waste is taken away. Any chemicals needed by the body are kept or returned to the bloodstream by the nephrons. In this way, the kidneys help to regulate the levels of chemicals in the blood such as sodium and potassium, and they keep the body healthy.
Around 3 out of 4 people diagnosed (75%) are aged 60 or older. Kidney cancer is rare in people under 50.
Kidney cancer is diagnosed more often in men than women. This could be because in the past more men smoked cigarettes. Smoking increases your risk of getting kidney cancer. And another risks are
This is the most common symptom of kidney cancer. Doctors call this haematuria. About half of the people diagnosed with kidney cancer will have this symptom when they first go to the doctor.
If you feel a lump or swelling in the area of your kidneys, you need to go straight to your doctor. Most kidney cancers are too small for you or a doctor to feel. But it is possible to do an ultrasound scan of the kidneys to check for cancer. There is information about scans in the diagnosing kidney cancer section.
Other more vague symptomsSome people can have other symptoms, which can be vague. These are
Almost all prostate cancers develop from prostate gland cells. Gland cells make the prostate fluid that is added to semen. The medical term for a cancer that starts in gland cells is adenocarcinoma. Other types of cancer can also start in the prostate gland, including sarcomas, small cell carcinomas, and transitional cell carcinomas. These types of prostate cancer are rare. Prostate cancer it is almost certain to be an adenocarcinoma.
Men have a small gland about the size of a walnut called the prostate gland. The prostate is below the bladder. It surrounds the first part of the tube (urethra), which carries urine from the bladder to the penis. The same tube also carries sex fluid (semen). The prostate gland is divided into 2 lobes, to the left and the right of a central groove.
The prostate gland produces a thick clear fluid that is an important part of the semen. The growth and function of the prostate depends on the male sex hormone testosterone, which is produced in the testes. Some treatments for prostate cancer work by lowering the levels of testosterone.
We don't know exactly what causes prostate cancer. But research shows that some factors may affect your risk. We are still unclear about the link between some of these factors and prostate cancer risk.
The symptoms of growths in the prostate are similar whether they are non cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). The symptoms include
The stomach is part of the digestive system. It lies just under the diaphragm (the sheet of muscle just under your lungs). The top of the stomach is connected to the oesophagus (foodpipe). The other end of the stomach is connected to the first part of the small bowel, the duodenum.
The stomach is a muscular bag. Its main job is to mix up the food that is eaten and start breaking it down so that it can be easily digested. When food enters the stomach, the muscles of the stomach wall begin powerful contractions, which pass over the stomach in waves. These muscle contractions mix up the food and break it down until it is a thick liquid. This makes digestion in the duodenum easier.
Stomach cancer is now the 15th most common cancer amongst adults in the UK. About 7,100 cases are diagnosed each year. Out of every 100 cancers diagnosed, 2 are cancer of the stomach (2%). Almost twice as many cases are diagnosed in men as in women.
The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful. So it is important that you go to your GP as soon as possible if you notice worrying symptoms.
More than half of the people diagnosed with stomach cancer have either pain, sickness or some difficulty swallowing. The exact area of the pain can vary. It is most usually in the upper abdomen (tummy). Or you may have pain just under your breastbone (sternum) or slightly lower down
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differentiated cancers. In these cancers, the cells look a lot like normal thyroid tissue when seen under a microscope. These cancers develop from thyroid follicular cells.
The thyroid is a gland that makes and releases hormones. It is found at the base of your neck, at the front, just behind the small hollow where your collar bones meet.
The thyroid gland makes the following hormones
Calcium is important for your nervous system. Too much calcium can make you feel sick and drowsy. Too little can cause problems with the nerves, such as pins and needles and making muscles in your body twitch and jerk.
Thyroid cancer is quite a rare cancer. Around 2,700 people are diagnosed in the UK each year. Less than 1 in every 100 cancers diagnosed in the UK is a thyroid cancer. It is 2 to 3 times more common in women than in men.The main risk factors for thyroid cancer are
The symptoms of thyroid cancer can include
The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful. So it is important that you go to your GP as soon as possible if you notice worrying symptoms.
Bladder cancers are grouped into ypes by how cancer cells look under a microscope. Transitional cell carcinoma is by far the most common type of bladder cancer. It starts in the cells that line the inside of the bladder – the urothelial cells. It is also called urothelial carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is much less common and is usually invasive. Adenocarcinoma is also much less common and almost all are invasive. Small-cell carcinoma is a very rare.
The bladder is part of the body system that filters waste products out of the blood and makes urine. This is called the urinary system (or urinary tract). It is made up of the
Around 10,400 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year in the UK. Not counting non melanoma skin cancer, bladder cancer is the 7th most common cancer in the UK. It is the 4th most common cancer in men.
The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful. So it is important that you go to your GP as soon as possible if you notice worrying symptoms.
