Bone Tumor Symptoms & Pain Medications

When the cells that form bone become mutated and begin to grow unchecked, a bone tumor can form. There are some specific symptoms to look for and medications to use in dealing with the pain associated with bone tumors.

Malignant Types

• Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma are two types of bone tumors that mostly affect people under 25. Chondrosarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma generally affect people between the ages of 40 and 60.

Rare Tumors

• Fibrosarcoma and chordoma are two types of rare bone tumors. According to the American Cancer Society, chordoma has the shorter survival rate of about six years after diagnosis.

Symptoms

• The most common symptom of a bone tumor is worsening pain in the area of the tumor. The pain may be present only at night or may be experienced during waking hours with activity.

Side Effects

• Sometimes, a bone tumor can weaken the bone, allowing it to fracture easily and thus leading to the discovery of the underlying tumor.

Pain Medication

• Various narcotics and analgesics have been used in the management of pain related to bone tumors, but the drug of choice lately is an injectible by the name of Metastron. It goes directly to the growth, working to surround it and lessen the pain.