Diagnosis & Grading of Primary Bone Cancers
drvmehta | Jan 03, 2007 | Comments 0 | Filed Under Primary Bone Cancer
Diagnosis of Primary Bone Cancer
Depending on the clinical signs and symptoms, doctor may send you for below mentioned test to rule out and confirm Primary Bone Cancer.
Blood Test and XRays and Scans are the routine tests used for detecting Primary Bone Cancer.
- X-ray. X-Ray can give sometime peculiar characteristic picture of Bone growth and may be usefulin detecting tumor than confirming.
- Bone scan. Bone scan give very detailed information about size, site, extent and type of growth and is based on radioactive material consumption by connective tissues.
- MRI scan. gives exact site and size of a tumor.
- A bone biopsy. helps in differentiating various types of bone cancers and also help us in grading of cancer.
Depending on clinical setting, facilities and patient’s clinical condition, your doctor may ask for other tests as well.
Grading of Primary Bone Cancers
- Low grade - the cells look reasonably similar to normal bone cells, ‘well differentiated’. grow and multiply quite slowly and are not so ‘aggressive’.
- High grade - the cells look very abnormal and are said to be ‘poorly differentiated’. grow and multiply quite quickly and are more ‘aggressive’ and are more likely to spread.
The stage of primary bone cancer is based on the grade of the cancer, and how much it has grown or spread. The staging system commonly used is:
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Stage 1A - the cancer consists of low-grade cells, and is totally within the bone. There is no spread to other parts of the body.
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Stage 1B - the cancer consists of low-grade cells, but has grown through the wall of the bone. There is no spread to other parts of the body.
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Stage 2A - the cancer consists of high-grade cells, and is totally within the bone. There is no spread to other parts of the body.
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Stage 2B - the cancer consists of high-grade cells, but has grown through the wall of the bone. There is no spread to other parts of the body.
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Stage 3 - the cancer is any grade but has spread to other parts of the body.
