Musculoskeletal tumors
Overview
Musculoskeletal tumors are abnormal growths that start in bones, muscles, fat, blood vessels, or other supporting tissues. They can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous, often called sarcomas).
Symptoms
Deep Pain: Aching discomfort in a bone or muscle that does not go away with rest or standard pain relievers.
Swelling and Masses: A growing lump under the skin that may feel soft, firm, or warm to the touch.
Limited Movement: Stiffness, a limp, or trouble moving a nearby joint freely.Weakened Bones: Fractures happening with little to no obvious cause.
General Fatigue: Feeling very tired, running a low fever, or losing weight unexpectedly.
Causes
Inherited gene changes: Syndromes like Li-Fraumeni syndrome, neurofibromatosis, and retinoblastoma raise your risk.
Past radiation therapy: High doses of radiation used to treat prior cancers can damage cell DNA over time.
Rapid bone growth: Tumors like osteosarcoma often show up during teenage growth spurts.
Previous bone injuries or metal implants: Rarely, past fractures, chronic inflammation, or metal surgical implants are linked to later bone changes.
Spread from other areas (Secondary tumors): Cancer that starts in the lungs, breasts, or prostate can spread into the musculoskeletal system.
Diagnosis
X-rays: The first test to see bone shape changes and margins.
MRI scan: Gives clear pictures of muscles, soft tissues, and tumor size.
CT scan: Shows fine bone details and checks if the disease has spread to the lungs.
Bone scan or PET scan: Looks for other spots in the body.
Biopsy: Taking a tiny tissue sample to look at cells under a microscope. This confirms the exact type of tumor.
Treatment
Surgery: Removes the tumor while keeping the arm or leg safe when possible. Doctors use metal parts or bone grafts to fix the bone.
Chemotherapy: Uses strong medicines to kill cancer cells or shrink large tumors before surgery.
Radiation therapy: Uses high-energy rays to kill remaining cancer cells or ease pain.Ablation:
Type of Doctor Department : An orthopedic oncologist, a surgical oncologist, or a musculoskeletal onco-surgeon
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