PT Health Life – Bone cancer is in the group of dangerous diseases, but if detected and treated early and properly, it still gives the patient the ability to survive. Bone cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer, the extent and the patient’s health status.
1. What methods are there to treat bone cancer ?
Each type of bone cancer responds to different treatments. There are types of bone cancer that are treated with surgery, and there are types that combine surgery and chemotherapy…
Each patient needs a team of experienced experts to plan and prescribe a specific bone cancer treatment method. Cancer treatment generally requires coordination of many specialties, coordinated by health care professionals in many specialties, including: Radiologists, pathologists, orthopedic surgeons specializing in bones and joints, chemotherapy doctors, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, oncology nurses/nurses…
With this team of medical staff, patients receive optimal treatment methods and results. Bone cancer treatment plans may include:
- Surgery
- Valence
- Radiotherapy
1.1 Surgery to treat bone cancer
This is a radical method of treating primary bone cancer, helping to eliminate cancer-causing tumors. The surgeon extensively removes the tumor to remove cancerous tumors and ensure that cancer cells are not missed in the organizations surrounding the tumor.
Previously, when bone cancer treatment methods had not yet been developed, most tumors in limbs often required amputation. Nowadays, with modern treatment techniques, doctors will use limb-preserving surgery to ensure post-operative function and aesthetics for the patient.
With limb preservation surgery, the doctor will widen the tumor, then replace it with a metal artificial bone/joint. Or the bone tumor segment after being cut out is treated with liquid nitrogen and then grafted back into the old position.
Despite modern technology, there are still cases where limb preservation surgery cannot be performed and amputation is required.
1.2 Valence
Chemotherapy to kill cancer cells and shrink the tumor size before surgery or chemotherapy after surgery to prevent cancer from returning and control symptoms in cases where cure is not possible – treatment This is called palliative chemotherapy.
Your doctor will plan to use a combination of different medications through a cyclical intravenous infusion. A cycle involves taking chemotherapy drugs for several days. Then rest for a few weeks to let your body recover and continue the treatment cycle. The number of chemotherapy cycles depends on the type of regimen.
Chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy is effective in treating Ewing’s sarcoma type bone cancer.
1.4 Radiotherapy
A method that uses radiation to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. For primary bone cancer, radiotherapy is only effective on Ewing’s Sarcoma. For other cancer groups, radiotherapy has little effect, mainly resolving pain symptoms and preventing bone fractures.
For metastatic cancer, radiotherapy is effective in treating and controlling symptoms caused when cancer spreads to bones. Radiation therapy can alleviate symptoms and pain caused by bone metastases during treatment. This method causes side effects a few weeks after radiation ends.
1.5 Other medications
Targeted therapy drugs: Aim to prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells and limit damage to healthy cells.
Immunotherapy : These are drugs that work on the immune mechanism, helping to increase the body’s natural defense ability to fight cancer.
2. Notes when treating bone cancer
– Surgery: After surgery, patients need to undergo rehabilitation to return to normal life. Therefore, it is very important to coordinate care between medical staff and relatives.
Rehabilitation includes physical therapy sessions, occupational therapy, and exercises to regain function of the treated body part. Doctors will teach patients skills to perform daily activities.
At this time, relatives need to pay attention, care for and support the patient at home with nutrition and support with exercise.
– Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can help destroy cancer cells but can cause harmful effects to the body’s healthy cells. Common side effects of chemotherapy include:
- Tired and sick, loss of appetite.
- Vomiting, nausea.
- Diarrhea or constipation.
- Mouth ulcers.
- Increased risk of infection.
- Temporary hair loss.
- Dry skin.
- Anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia.
- Increased liver enzymes.
Most side effects related to chemotherapy go away after treatment ends. During chemotherapy, patients need absolute rest combined with appropriate nutrition. Eat soft foods that are easy to swallow, and a frugal diet that ensures adequate nutrients. You should eat slowly, little by little and divided into several meals.
– Radiation therapy: Radiation rays also cause damage to healthy cells around the radiation treatment area. Side effects will vary for each patient and depend on the area treated. However, fatigue is the most common side effect. Feeling tired often begins midway through the week of treatment and can last for several weeks after treatment. Some minor changes in the skin or a burning or rough feeling on the skin at the irradiation site.
During radiotherapy, doctors and nurses will closely monitor and evaluate symptoms of side effects. In case the side effects are too unpleasant, the patient can be given some medications to help make them feel more comfortable…
