Metastatic Bone Disease Treatment

If cancer has spread to the bone or soft tissue (muscle, tendons, nerves, blood vessels) from another location in the body, it is considered metastatic bone disease. The most common cancers that may spread to the bone are breast, lung, prostate, kidney and thyroid. Metastatic bone disease can weaken and damage the bone, making patients prone to fractures. Metastatic bone disease often affects the spine, skull, ribs, pelvis, arms and legs.

Diagnosis

If the primary cancer is not yet known, we will work to identify it through biopsy and other diagnostic tools. Patients with metastatic bone disease need comprehensive, well-coordinated care from a variety of disciplines. As a part of a multidisciplinary team, we work closely with experts from every cancer specialty to deliver the best patient care and advanced treatment options for each individual patient. Our goal is to keep patients on their feet and help keep the affected bone(s) as healthy as possible while the patient is being treated for the primary cancer.

Treatment

Patients with metastatic bone disease may be treated with radiation to reduce pain and medications to help strengthen the bones. Orthopaedic surgery may become necessary to reduce pain, stabilize a bone to prevent fractures, or repair a bone that has already fractured.