New Pain Treatments for Bone Tumors

New pain treatment methods for bone tumors
updated on April 19 2007

Bone cancer, a skeletal cancer usually occurring as a spreading tumor
from cancer elsewhere in the body; seldom as the first tumor in an area
of rapid growth. Cancer cells gain access to the blood stream, reach
the bone marrow, and grow new blood vessels to obtain oxygen and
food - bone metastases. Bone metastases become painful when the
tumor starts to destroy bone. Fracture may occur. Most bone cancers
are spreading tumors; commonly occur in the ribs, spine and pelvis.
Osteosarcomas, chrondrosarcomas and fibrosarcomas are the most
common bone cancers. Treatments include surgical removal of the
slow-growing tumors or the whole limb, radiation and chemotherapy
[1,2].

NEW PAIN TREATMENTS

More than 60% of patients with advanced cancer have bone
metastases and, pain treatment could benefit as many as 100,000
people in the United States each year. Three new nonsurgical
techniques have been presented in the 30th Annual Scientific Meeting
of the Society of Interventional Radiology and they are osteoplasty,
radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation. Because of the localized
nature of these techniques, they may not have any systemic side effects.

CRYOABLATION Cryoablation kills the cancer tissue locally by freezing
it with extreme cold argon gas in a sealed probe, while sparing the
healthy tissue. In this procedure, the interventional radiologist uses CT
and ultrasound imaging to guide 8 probes through the skin into the
tumor, under anesthesia. The "ice ball" that is created around the
probe, visible with CT imaging, grows in size and destroys the frozen
tumor cells.

RADIO FREQUENCY ABLATION Radiofrequency ablation kills the cancer
tissue locally by transmitting radiofrequency to the tip of the needle,
where it produces heat in the tissue. The tumor tissue dies, shrinks
and forms a scar. This technique uses CT and ultrasound imaging for
guidance. This successful rate is about 93% percent of cases in a
study. The FDA has approved radio frequency ablation for the treatment
of tumors in soft tissues including the lung [3,4].

OSTEOPLASTY Osteoplasty kills the cancer tissue by injecting medical
grade bone cement into the tumor. In this procedure, radiologist uses
fluoroscopy (continuous X-ray imaging) to guide the probe to the tumor.
The cement becomes hot when it is mixed. This heat kills the tumor
and hardens the weakened bone to prevent fracture. Tumors often eat
away healthy bone. This is an established technique used to treat
painful vertebral metastases or fractures in the spine from
osteoporosis.

REFERENCES

[1] Mosby's Medical Encyclopeida, 2000 TLC, Inc.
[2] 30th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Interventional
Radiology, Three Nonsurgical Pain Treatments for Bone Tumors Very
Effective, 03 Apr 2005
[3] E.J. Mundell New Hope Against Inoperable Liver, Lung Cancers
HealthDay News April 4 2005
[4] Prospective, Multicenter Lung Cancer Trial Shows Heat Directly Kills
Tumors In 93 Percent of Cases, PRNewswire, April 2, 2005

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