How to Treat Bone Cancer

The most common types of bone cancer are osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma and chondrosarcoma. A rare form of cancer, bone cancer starts in the bone and is more common in children than adults. In osteosarcoma, the cancer begins in the growing tissue of the bone, while it begins in the cartilage for those with chondrosarcoma and in immature tissue for those who have Ewing's sarcoma. According to the Mayo Clinic treatment will depend on the type of bone cancer a patient has, as well as how far it has progressed and where it is located.

Instructions

1. Remove the infected area by surgery. According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the most common treatments for bone cancer is to have surgery to remove the cancer, along with a perimeter of the healthy area. If necessary, surgery will be done to remove any metastasized cancer.

2. Combine surgery with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can include neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which is pre-surgery, and adjuvant chemotherapy, which is post-surgery.

3. Combine chemotherapy with medication, radiation and surgery. This might be common when treating Ewing's sarcoma

4. Replace the cancerous bone with a prosthesis. This might be a donated transplant, or a bone taken from another area of your body.

5. Treat the infected area with radiation. Beams of radiation waves are directed at the cancer for a specific number of times or treatments. This can shrink the tumor. Radiation is directed at just the portion of the body that is infected.

6. Undergo chemotherapy. Chemotherapy medication is used to treat the entire body, with the intent of treating any cancer that may have moved from the origination point. Chemotherapy can shrink or kill the cancer.

References

• Bone Cancer