MSD Manual

Please confirm that you are not located inside the Russian Federation

honeypot link

Metastatic Bone Tumors

By

Michael J. Joyce

, MD, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University;


David M. Joyce

, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center

Reviewed/Revised Jul 2022 | Modified Oct 2023
VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
Topic Resources

Cancers that begin elsewhere in the body may spread (metastasize) to the bones.

  • In particular, cancers of the breast, lung, prostate gland, kidney, thyroid gland, and colon may metastasize to the bones.

  • The main symptom is bone pain.

  • An imaging test, such as x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography, may show the bone abnormality, or a sample of tissue may need to be removed and tested (biopsy).

  • Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery may be done depending on the type of cancer that has spread.

Cancers most likely to spread to the bones include those that start in the following areas:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer to spread to bone. However, any cancer may eventually spread to bone. Cancer may spread to any bone, although cancers do not commonly spread to bone below the mid forearm or mid calf.

Symptoms of Metastatic Bone Tumors

Metastatic bone tumors eventually cause bone pain, but they may not cause any symptoms for some time. The pain can be severe. Pain may occur when at rest or at night and tends to progressively worsen.

Cancerous tumors gradually weaken a bone. The weakness makes it much easier for the bone to break (fracture) while doing routine activities (called a pathologic fracture).

Diagnosis of Metastatic Bone Tumors

  • X-rays

  • Bone scan

  • Other imaging tests

  • Sometimes biopsy

A person who has or has had cancer and develops bone pain or swelling is evaluated by a doctor for metastatic bone tumors.

Occasionally, a metastatic bone tumor causes symptoms before the original cancer has been detected. Symptoms may be bone pain (particularly pain that affects more than one area because of multiple tumors) or a fracture where the tumor has weakened the bone (a pathologic fracture). In these situations, a biopsy is done and may give clues as to the location of the original cancer, because the type of cancer tissue can often be recognized under the microscope. This information can direct the doctor to where the original cancer started (for example, in the lungs, breasts, prostate, kidneys, thyroid, or colon).

Biopsy
VIDEO

Once a metastatic bone tumor is diagnosed, doctors do other tests to determine where the original cancer started. For example, a chest x-ray or chest CT scan may be done to look for tumors in the lungs, or mammography Mammography Breast cancer rarely causes symptoms in its early stages, and early treatment is more likely to be successful; thus, screening is important. Screening is the hunt for a disorder before any symptoms... read more Mammography may be done to look for tumors in the breasts.

Treatment of Metastatic Bone Tumors

  • Radiation therapy

  • Surgery to stabilize the bone

  • Surgery to remove tumors

  • Measures to lessen bone loss

Surgery to stabilize the bone is often done to treat fractures and sometimes even to prevent fractures. Surgery for pathologic fractures may involve placing a rod inside the bone, using plates and screws to stabilize the bone, or removing the affected bone and rebuilding the limb and joint.

When the original (primary) cancer has been removed and only a single tumor remains in the bone, especially if the tumor developed years after the original tumor, the single tumor is surgically removed and the bone is rebuilt. Sometimes this removal and rebuilding is combined with radiation therapy Radiation Therapy for Cancer Radiation is a form of intense energy generated by a radioactive substance, such as cobalt, or by specialized equipment, such as an atomic particle (linear) accelerator. Radiation preferentially... read more , chemotherapy Chemotherapy and Other Systemic Cancer Treatments Systemic treatments are those that have effects throughout the body rather than being applied directly to the cancer. Chemotherapy is a form of systemic treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer... read more , or both. This combination of treatment rarely cures the cancer but may significantly improve the person's quality of life as well as the function or appearance of the limb.

The goals of treatment are to minimize the loss of bone tissue, relieve pain, and allow mobility.

Loss of bone tissue can cause pain and make bones tend to fracture, which can require surgery. Bone loss can be minimized by using radiation therapy and drugs that prevent bone loss (such as bisphosphonates or denosumab) before bone loss is widespread and pain occurs.

To relieve spine pain, kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty may be done. Either procedure can be done if tumors are causing the back bone to collapse but are not putting pressure on the spinal cord. In kyphoplasty, a balloon is inserted into the back bone and is expanded to restore the bone to its normal shape and prevent the bone from collapsing further. Then bone cement (methyl methacrylate) is injected. Vertebroplasty is similar to kyphoplasty except that no balloon is inserted. If the tumors are at risk of causing collapse that could put pressure on the spinal cord and cause spinal cord damage (such as weakness or paralysis of the legs), treatment, such as surgery, to reduce the pressure and stabilize the spine may be recommended.

NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
quiz link

Test your knowledge

Take a Quiz! 
iOS ANDROID
iOS ANDROID
iOS ANDROID
TOP