Bone Tumours

Question 1

List the types of benign bone tumours.

Answer 1

Osteochondroma (commonest)
Endochondroma
Simple bone cyst
Osteoid osteoma

Question 2

Describe an osteocrhondroma.

Answer 2

produces a bony outgrowth with cartilaginous cap.Small risk of becoming malignant - if lesion growns in size or produces pain, may need excisional biopsy

Question 3

What is more common, primary bone tumours or metastatic cancer affecting the skeleton?

Answer 3

metastatic cancer affecting the skeleton

Question 4

Cancer affecting bone tends to produce what kind of pain?

Answer 4

contant, may be severe, usually worse at night

Question 5

What do malignant primary bone tumours show on x ray?

Answer 5

cortical destruction, a periosteal reaction, new bone formation and extension into soft tissue

Question 6

What is most common form of primary bone tumour?

Answer 6

osteosarcoma

Question 7

What is an osteosarcoma?

Answer 7

malignant tumour which produces bone, mostly seen in younger patients and mostly involving the knee

Question 8

What does treatment of primary bone tumours usually involve?

Answer 8

surgery to remove the tumour and surrounding tissue

Question 9

Name the primary malignant tumours which commonly metastasize to bone in order of frequency.

Answer 9

Breast
Prostate
Lung
Renal cell
Thyroid

Question 10

How long is mean survival with bony mets in breast cancer?

Answer 10

24-6months

Question 11

Which bones are most frequently involved with mets?

Answer 11

vertebra, pelvis, ribs, skull, humerus and long bones of lower limb

Question 12

Blood test for bony mets?

Answer 12

check for high calcium, LFTs for liver Mets , plasma protein electrophoresis (for myeloma), FBC and UandE