Metastatic (cancer spreading to involve an organ away from the organ where the it started) bone disease is the involvement of one or more bones of the body by cancer that develops in other organs, such as breast, lung, or prostate etc. The intent of treatment in these patients is to improve quality of life and prolong survival.
The treatment involves multidisciplinary management, and is planned individualized to the patients’ requirements. Medicines to prevent destruction of bone by cancer, radiation therapy and surgery form the mainstay of symptomatic treatment metastatic bone cancer. Apart from this, the primary cancer will be treated according to the type of cancer, the extent of disease, and the type of treatment the patient has received till then.
The outlook of patients with metastases to bone has improved significantly following advancements in medical oncology, radiation therapy, and surgery, with a meaningful quality of life and even improved survival. The purpose of surgery for metastatic bone disease is to prevent or treat fractures, and to prevent to paralysis from spinal cord compression in cases with metastasis in spine. This may involve fixation with nails or plates, and sometimes joint replacement. Sometimes, if there is a single bone metastasis, complete cancer removal like a primary cancer may also benefit the patient.