What Are the Symptoms of Metastatic Bone Cancer - Unspoken Signs You Shouldn't Ignore!

When we think of bone cancer, most people picture unbearable pain or visible lumps. The truth is, bone cancer often whispers before it roars. 

Most articles you come across, list the general bone cancer symptoms such as pain and swelling without explaining crucial things. For example, how would someone distinguish everyday pain from cancer-related discomfort?

We'll explore the unspoken, misunderstood and rarely discussed symptoms that patients often experience before their diagnosis.

Pain that acts….weird

We know bone cancer (or most other cancer) causes pain, but not all pain is equal. Here's what sets it apart:

• It worsens at night or when you're resting - not when you're active

• It may shift locations slightly but always hovers around the same area.

• OTC painkillers such as ibuprofen stops the pain gradually, but it does not help in the long run.

This mainly happens because cancerous cells in bone disrupt normal bone structure and pressure nerve endings even at rest. This is also one of the early signs of bone cancer symptoms.

Why is there a creeping limp?

Without any known injury, the patient can start limping. Slightly at first, making them favor one leg. This is common in pediatric bone cancer such as osteosarcoma.

Dismissing this could mean the limp lasts over 2 weeks.

Does bone break easily in bone cancer?

If you fracture your bone from a minor fall or even a bump, it is a big red flag. This is known as a pathological fracture as it occurs when bone cancer weakens the structural integrity of the bone. 

People may ask ‘Is a fracture always due to trauma?’ But no, the weakening bone due to the tumor may crack or snap from regular pressure.

What Are the Symptoms of Metastatic Bone Cancer that are not bone-related

Many people overlook whole body symptoms of bone cancer, such as -

• Persistent fatigue even after rest

• Low-grade fever

• Chills without an infection

• Night sweats

• Unexplained weight loss

Are there changes in skin over the affected bone?

Some patients we interviewed noticed the following changes in their skin color over the bone:

• Shiny or stretched skin

• Warmth over the affected area

• Visible blood vessels

These may be seen as subtle changes that may be noticeable by a patient, but that’s far from true. These changes are noticed only in a handful of cases - but this is an important sign of inflammation and tumor growth.

These changes in the skin also happens due to these signs which press against the skin tissue.

Why am I feeling pain after exercise?

You may be feeling prolonged pain after exercise due to the spread of cancer. Unlike normal soreness, the pain felt during bone cancer growth was described by patients as such:

• Even after stretching or resting well, the pain does not improve.

• The pain comes with a dull ache or sensation of deep pressure.

• May feel like the pain is inside the bone and not around the muscle.

Bone Cancer Pain vs Arthritis Injury

Bone cancer pain is usually described by the patients we help as “a deep, electrical feel, as if someone is boring a drill into the bone.” Bone cancer pain develops gradually and starts as a dull ache that progresses to a constant pain.

Arthritis injury pain can occur due to weight-bearing and is localized to a joint - for example feeling the pain in knees. This pain occurs mainly due to post-traumatic injury or wear and tear. This feels like a burning pain that gets sharp with activity.

So, if someone around you is explaining their symptom as a “pulsating pain” or something as above, don’t ignore it. Get them the correct diagnosis through second opinion in case of confusion.

These were the answer to what are the symptoms of bone cancer and how you can identify it.

Questions that Rarely Get Answered

Here are a few questions that flooded our inbox last week with one common problem - Google does not have an answer. Or at least does not highlight these answers for them.

Can you have bone cancer without feeling pain?

Early stages of bone cancer or the early development of tumor in areas such as pelvis may not cause pain until it is large enough or presses on the nerves.

Does bone cancer always show up on an X-ray?

No, some tumors can be missed especially when its the initial stages. You may need an MRI, CT scan or bone biopsy that’s accurate for diagnosis.

Can bone cancer start from other cancers?

Metastatic bone cancer is the word you’re looking for. This is more common than primary bone cancer. Some cancers that may develop to bone cancer from breast, lung and prostate cancers.

How does technology solve delayed detection?

Did you know nearly 14-16 million medical tourists travel abroad annually.

Out of those nearly 20-35% see a higher early-stage detection rate due to the advanced imaging and AI tools that most facilities abroad use.

This is why medical tourism is better for you if there’s suspicion about the signs and symptoms of bone cancer. In our experience, we’ve seen our medical tourists have better survival rates (3-5 years increase), better recovery due to the excellent facilities they get and a higher satisfaction.

Let’s have a look at why medical tourists get this benefit?

• Shorter or no wait times in countries such as Costa Rica and Malaysia - patients can get MRI scans within 24 hours of submission.

• Expert second opinion - This is when the patient gets multidisciplinary review about their concerns and review their initial diagnosis to change or verify it. Top oncology hospitals such as Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok in Thailand.

• Cost transparency - As a patient just needs to pay 50-70% lower than what the treatment costs in the Us or UK - this is definitely an upside to medical tourism.

Bone Cancer Symptoms When to Seek Treatment Abroad

If you have recently been experiencing the symptoms listed above or the common ones such as sharp localized pain near a joint or bone, it’s a red flag you shouldn’t ignore.

When patient faces long delays in getting biopsies or specialist consult, medical tourism would prioritize their appointments.

If you want to get advanced therapies - which have a higher chance of long-term success - medical tourism is the answer. We can connect you with top bone cancer specialists who use the latest technology at reasonable prices. At least 50-70% less treatment costs from western countries.

So, do medical tourists get better diagnosis? Yes!

Best Countries for Bone Cancer Treatment

A bone cancer diagnosis does not have to be the end of the world. With world-class care and life-changing treatments, it is easy to improve survival rates without spending a fortune.

The key to such a financially-sound decision is finding the perfect destination that offers the best world - best treatment at affordable rates. That’s not all, you can also get access to facilities such as on-ground support, visa assistance and much more!

Here are top five countries for bone cancer treatment:

1. India

Reasonably priced, the bone cancer care in India does not compromise on quality. With JCI-accredited hospitals in the country, it becomes the top destination for this treatment.

Provides high success rates in limb salvage surgeries. The cost can range between $12,000-20,000 which is nearly one-fifth of the US prices.

2. Germany

This is the second destination on the list due to its gold standard in oncology with cutting-edge diagnostics (PET-MRI fusion, liquid biopsies). Germany specializes in precision radiation therapy and custom 3D-printed bone implants.

The cost can be around $25,000-50,000 vs. around $80,000 in the US.

3. South Korea

The leading country in robotic surgery and proton therapy, South Korea provides treatments that are smooth like butter. Early-stage detection through AI-powered imaging is what makes it a leader in this treatment.

The cost including travel, can be estimated to be around $18,000-35,000. The best facilities to get this treatment include - Yonsei Severance Hospital, Samsung Medical Center.

4. Thailand

Best known for its holistic care with intentionally trained surgeons and low infection rates, facilities in Thailand (Bangkok, mainly) are known for immunotherapy combinations. This is seen to be most effective against metastatic cases.

The bone cancer treatment package in Thailand can be around $20,000-40,000 including post-op rehab.

5. Turkey

The list would be incomplete without its inclusion as it fast-tracks treatment plans, putting you on the return flight within 12 days. Biopsy to surgery takes around 7-10 days.

This destination specializes in hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy for aggressive tumors at around $15,000-30,000. This includes luxury recovery stays with some hospitals or medical tourism packages.

The best hospitals include - Memorial Ankara Hospital, Anadolu Medical Center.

Suspect bone cancer? Explore our global network of top-ranked oncologists with quick consultations. Connect with us through any of the suitable channels today and let us get you a priority appointment!