Guide To Orthopaedic Oncology

Orthopedic oncology also known as musculoskeletal oncology is a medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of tumours such as cancers that develop in the bones, cartilage and soft tissue. These types of cancer might be relatively rare since they contribute to only about 0.5% of all cancer incidences in the world; however, managing them can be very challenging for the patient and the health care provider. This  provides a general background to orthopedic oncology, the diseases that it involves, ways of diagnosis, available treatments, and the significance of handling such conditions.

What is Orthopedic Oncology?

Skeletal oncology focuses on the numerous tumours that may develop at the musculoskeletal system. These tumours can be benign; that is, they do not spread cancerous cells to other parts of the body or malignant, cancerous tumours. The most common types of cancers treated in this field include:

• Osteosarcoma: A type of cancer that affects the bone normally the long bones and is commonly seen in the young persons especially teenagers and young adults.
• Chondrosarcoma: This type of cancer starts from cartilage cells making it possible for it to surface in any part of the body that contains cartilage tissues.
• Ewing’s Sarcoma: An aggressive cancer of a specific bone that occurs commonly in young persons.
• Metastatic Bone Disease: This involves a situation whereby cancer spreads from other tissues of the body to the bones whereby common types of cancer include breast cancer lung cancer and prostate cancer.

It therefore becomes important to understand these conditions given that they present somewhat differently and call for different management based on their type or the stage of progression they have attained.

Diagnosing Orthopedic Cancers

A physical examination forms the basis of diagnosing orthopaedic cancers together with some imaging procedures that are more enhanced than mere examinations. Some common diagnostic methods include:

• X-rays: These usually take the initial form of evaluation of any irregularities in the structural formation of bones.
• MRI: This technique offers high definition and picture of soft tissues and facilitates the evaluation of the expansion of tumours.
• CT Scans: These are useful for viewing complex areas such as the pelvic or spine regions in the body.
• Biopsy: The diagnosis is sometimes made by employing other tests, however the most common method of diagnosis is by biopsy where a small piece of the tumour tissue is removed for examination in the laboratory.

The sooner the diagnosis is made, the better the prognosis since the results are much improved.

Treatment Methods

Orthopedic cancer management is more than one specialty discipline, thereby requiring an orthopedic surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologists, and rehabilitation experts. The overall treatment plans depend on the specific case for each individual. Among treatment modalities are:

• Surgery: This is the most common treatment for localised tumours. The aim of surgical resection is to remove the tumour with minimal healthy tissue loss. Limb-conserving methods may be attempted to avoid limb amputation.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs employ cytotoxicity or cell-stopping agents to destroy or inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be used preoperatively, called neoadjuvant therapy, as an attempt to reduce the sizes of the tumours or postoperatively, termed adjuvant to destroy the remaining cancer cells in the body.
• Radiation Therapy: High-energy rays are used to direct the killing off of cancerous cells. It is often especially useful for tumours which cannot otherwise be considered for surgical removal.
• Targeted Therapy: A newer approach includes identification of specific characteristic features of cancer cells such as genetic mutations or proteins that encourage growth.
• Immunotherapy: The treatment helps boost the body's immune system to fight cancer more effectively.

Each treatment has its advantages and side effects, hence, to be well discussed with doctors or any healthcare provider.

Conclusion

Briefly, orthopaedic oncology refers to an important field about the diagnosis of bone and soft tissue tumours and their treatment. Changes both in diagnostic techniques and treatment modalities provided better care than ever to patients. Joint Replacement Surgeon in Delhi, Dr. Rajesh Malhotra, form the cornerstone of such treatment according to the requirements of each patient. As such research continues to advance, there exists a bright diagnosis for better results among patients with orthopaedic cancers.