1. Know What Stage Cancer You Have
A physician can conclude whether or not the disease can be cured by evaluating what stage it has reached. This can make the difference between life and death. Based on the American Joint Commission on Cancer, staging for bone cancer can reveal the extent of the primary tumor and whether or not it involves the nearby lymph nodes or has spread further into other tissues and organs. It is also important to know the grade of the tumor.
2. The Stage is All Set, and Good Luck!
Your bone cancer may still be confined to the bone initially. It could be less than eight centimeters in stage IA. You may notice swelling as the tumor presses against the bone wall. In stage IB it is growing through the bone wall and is over eight centimeters, although it is still low grade and has not spread to lymph nodes or any other organ. You may be lucky enough at this stage of bone cancer to get well with just surgery and may not require any chemotherapy at all.
3. Stage II
Stage II bone cancer usually has not spread to lymph nodes or any other organs. However, in advanced stage II, it may grow into the surrounding tissues via the bone wall. For instance, all Ewing's sarcomas are high grade, and they occur in bones and soft tissues of the legs, arms, chest, trunk, back, or head. Fever, pain or swelling and broken bones are the result. Your specialist may attempt to remove the cancer with chemotherapy and surgery.
4. Advanced Bone Cancer
If there are tumor cells in other areas on the bone, the cancer has progressed. The tumor may be confined to the bone and may be any grade. The grade is an indication of how abnormal the tumor cells appear under the microscope. It can give an idea as to how quickly the cancer can grow and spread to other areas.
5. You Still Have a Prayer Left
If the cancer spreads into other areas of the body such as lungs and lymph nodes, rest assured that experienced therapists, complementary healing practitioners and spiritual guidance are still available to relieve your stress from the challenging disease.
