The doctor calls with your results. You hang up the phone, still in disbelief, you hit your knees praying it isn’t so… Just that quick, your entire life has changed. The “c” word is something we never want to hear, regardless the extent of it, we always think the worse. Bone cancer is a skeletal system disease that originates within a bone of the body, causing the bone to weaken. Cancer begins when healthy cells change and grow out of control, forming a tumor. The tumor can be malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous). A malignant tumor can grow and spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors may not spread, but they can grow in size and put pressure on the bone and cause a fracture. There are different types
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If you experience any of the following get checked out as soon as possible. Pain (bone), joint swelling/stiffness or limping. Often times there are little to no symptoms and we pass it off as just an “ache” and by the time it causes us enough pain to seek medical care, it’s too late. There are five stages the oncologist uses to determine what treatment to use. Several tests may be performed until they have a proper diagnosis. Blood work, PET scan, CAT scan, MRI and bone scan, to name a few. Once a diagnosis is reached, treatment will begin. Chemo and radiation are used for malignant tumors, along with prescription meds to help with appetite, pain and nausea. Currently there is no known prevention for bone cancer. Early detection offers hope. I hope one day a cure for cancer is found, all forms of this horrible disease. Cancer doesn’t discriminate; young/old, black/white, male/female, we all have the risk. Some have higher risks, but we all can get it. We can help prevent it to an extent by the foods we eat and the stuff we drink. Both of my grandmothers passed away with cancer. One of them with stomach/colon cancer, the other with brain/lung cancer. When I graduate with my RN degree I want to work at St. Jude. To put a smile on a sick child’s face will be
If you experience any of the following get checked out as soon as possible. Pain (bone), joint swelling/stiffness or limping. Often times there are little to no symptoms and we pass it off as just an “ache” and by the time it causes us enough pain to seek medical care, it’s too late. There are five stages the oncologist uses to determine what treatment to use. Several tests may be performed until they have a proper diagnosis. Blood work, PET scan, CAT scan, MRI and bone scan, to name a few. Once a diagnosis is reached, treatment will begin. Chemo and radiation are used for malignant tumors, along with prescription meds to help with appetite, pain and nausea. Currently there is no known prevention for bone cancer. Early detection offers hope. I hope one day a cure for cancer is found, all forms of this horrible disease. Cancer doesn’t discriminate; young/old, black/white, male/female, we all have the risk. Some have higher risks, but we all can get it. We can help prevent it to an extent by the foods we eat and the stuff we drink. Both of my grandmothers passed away with cancer. One of them with stomach/colon cancer, the other with brain/lung cancer. When I graduate with my RN degree I want to work at St. Jude. To put a smile on a sick child’s face will be