Bone Cancer and Its Stages

 Primary bone cancers are the cancer cells that start in bones and is most often seen in adults.

Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control and in abnormal way. Bone cancer is less common type of cancer that begins when cells in the bone start to grow out of control and abnormally.

Bone is the supporting framework for human body. Bone itself contains 2 kinds of cells, namely- Osteoblasts are cells that lay down new bone and Osteoclasts are cells that dissolve old bone. 

Bone often looks as if it doesn’t change much, but it's actually very active in its phases of remodelling. As the process of remodelling is active in bone so it poses the increased chances of any of these bone cells to develop into cancer.

Primary bone cancers versus Bone metastasis help us to understand the staging process and how the bonce cancer cell are spreading or being staged or graded

Cancers that start in the bones are called primary bone cancers. These types of cancers aren’t very common. But in many cases, it is observed that most of the time when an adult with cancer is told they have cancer in the bones, it refers to the fact that the bone cancer that started somewhere else and then spread to the bones. This is called bone metastasis.

So the bone metastases can happen with many different types of advanced cancer, like breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. When the cancer cells in the bone are looked at under a microscope.

Primary bone cancers (cancers that start in bones) include Osteosarcoma, Ewing Tumors (Ewing sarcomas),

After someone is diagnosed with bone cancer, diagnostic work will be done by oncologist if it has spread, and if so, how far. This process is called staging. The stage of a bone cancer is based on the results of physical exams, imaging tests, and any biopsies that have been done.

Staging system is a standard way for the cancer care team to sum up the extent of the cancer before designing effective treatment regimen.

Two main staging systems can be used to describe bone cancers:

Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) staging system, also known as the Enneking system. It is based on 3 key pieces of information:

The grade (G) of the cancer, which is a measure of how likely it is to grow and spread, based on how it looks under the microscope.

low grade (G1)

high grade (G2)

The extent of the primary tumor (T), which is classified as:

Intracompartmental (T1), meaning it has basically remained within the bone,

Extracompartmental (T2), meaning it has grown beyond the bone into other nearby structures.

Bone cancer has metastasized (M), - means it has spread to other areas, either to nearby lymph nodes and other organs.

Tumors that have not spread to the lymph nodes or other organs are considered M0, while those that have spread are M1.

These factors are combined to give an overall stage, using Roman numerals from I to III.

Stages I and II are divided into A for intra compartmental tumors or B for extra compartmental tumors.

Low-grade, localized tumors are stage I.

High-grade, localized tumors are stage II.

Metastatic tumors (regardless of grade) are stage III.

Two types of stages can be assigned to bone cancers in the TNM system:

The clinical stage is based on the results of the exams and tests that have been done before the cancer has been treated with surgery. Once surgery has been done, the pathological stage (also called the surgical stage) can be determined.

Our Cancer Rounds team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of bone cancer care.

Carcinoma of Tongue and Self Screening for Early-Stage Diagnosis

 

Carcinoma of the Tongue is a type of oral cancer differentiated to site in the oral region &/or within the tongue. Most commonly it is presented as a squamous cell carcinoma. In this, the base of tongue cancer is towards the rear third of the tongue. The mentioned oral cancers are relatively rare, representing only about three percent of all cancers. Mostly, Male predilection in the 6th decade is reported with 4th-decade involvement in females.

Earliest observed in carcinoma of the tongue is a pinkish-red sore at the side of the tongue that persists and gives a history of not healing. In the early stages squamous cell carcinoma involving the base of the tongue may be asymptomatic. In this instance at the time of diagnosis cancer is already in late-stage/Metastases.

 And the symptoms like pain in the tongue and surrounding tissue, are accompanied then by changes in voice tones and sounds, with complaints of difficulty in swallowing. It is significant to notice here that just because the early dormant symptoms precede the diagnosis, of squamous cell cancers of the base of the tongue which have already had squamous cancer cells in the lymph nodes of the neck.

Etiology for carcinoma of tongue is not known but inadequate oral hygiene like thickened white patches on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity are prefixed cascades in observation. The disorder defining the cascades of tongue cancer is associated with alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, excessive smoking, and syphilis & or Viral infections. In addition to these other parameters are irritation by jagged teeth, projecting fillings, ill-fitting dentures with a less uncommon possibility of a genetic predisposition to malignancy.

Diagnostic work-up done includes the biopsy that is an examination of a sample of tissue from the site of the suspected cancer accompanied by imaging [MRI and/or CAT scans] is done to determine the stage of cancer. This physical examination is necessary a sitting aid in determining the method and pace of treatment- this, because varied arms of treatment at any particular stage are present and a particular regimen, is designed in each case predicting good diagnosis.

Yes, a Dental check-up might help in early diagnosis and the dental work accomplishment becomes a necessity for the patient before treatment of cancer begins including quitting smoking. Tongue cancer is among one type of mouth cancer. And the mouth cancer best treatment includes conventional treatment arms like radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, surgery, etc. The average mouth cancer treatment cost in India is about 4,735.2556 US Dollars

But prevention is better than cure and we need to quit smoking, alcohol abuse.

At the same time, it is well-appreciated fact that early diagnosis of mouth cancer or oral cancer, or tongue cancer can give a good prognosis with an increased disease-free survival rate. For this self, screening is key to the lock.

Self-screening for early diagnosis of tongue cancer: it is easy to self-screen for tongue cancer- Let us see how!…….

The individual can flashlight beneath his/her tongue and see in the mirror or mobile camera- this allows you to take a look at the floor of your mouth/ beneath the tongue.

Also followed to this it is advised to feel the oral mucosa beneath the tongue with a finger.

The next step is to stick out the tongue for examining the top surface and tip of the tongue.

Followed to this excursion movement of tongue left-right on both sides, and under surface using the flashlight will allow to see and feel all of these areas with fingers.

If you notice something on the tongue isn’t going away during self-screening, such as discoloration or a bleeding ulcer or unhealing sore, or unexplained burning sensation, you should see a healthcare provider.

Followed to these other symptoms like trouble swallowing, changes in voice, and pain in the throat or tongue that can be caused by other conditions but aren’t going away indicates an alarm to consult your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

The above-discussed list of symptoms doesn’t go away within two weeks, it is a necessity to see a healthcare provider.