Is Bone Cancer Common in the Hip?

Hip pain is very common, mainly caused by an accident, overuse, or chronic illnesses such as arthritis. Most of the time, the indications of bone cancer may be mistaken for other illnesses. However, hip bone cancer is a very rare disease.

Less than one percent of new malignancies are primary bone cancers. Hypercalcemia, a disease characterized by an excess of calcium in the blood, is one of the side effects of hip cancer.

Symptoms of Bone Cancer in the Hip

Symptoms of bone cancer in the hip include:

  • Intense discomfort in the bones or joints may make it difficult to sleep
  • Suffering from night sweats
  • Rapid bleeding or bruising
  • Frequent infections
  • Fatigue
  • Enlarged liver and glands like the spleen and lymph nodes
  • Fever and chills
  • Nausea
  • Unexplained weight loss

What are the signs of hip cancer?

The following symptoms of hip cancer:

  1. A bluish tint on nails or lips
  2. A slight reduction of awareness or reactivity, such as fainting or passing out.
  3. Confusion, delirium, lethargy, hallucinations, and delusions are just a few examples of mental disorders that may cause rapid and drastic changes in behaviour
  4. Palpitations, tightness in the chest, and discomfort in the chest
  5. Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
  6. Deformity of the hips or trouble moving the leg
  7. Breathing difficulties such as shortness of breath, difficulty in taking a breath, laborious breathing, or wheezing
  8. Seizure
  9. Pain in the abdomen or hips
  10. Excessive or uncontrolled bleeding

Types of Hip Bone Cancer

The hip may be affected by four different kinds of primary bone cancer.

1. Osteosarcoma

This cancer is most common in teenagers and young adults and generally affects the arm or leg around the knee. Adults, in particular, are at an increased risk of developing this particular kind of bone cancer in any bone. In addition, tissue from the lungs may get infected by osteosarcoma tumors, which can migrate to other body regions.

2. Chondrosarcoma

It begins in the cartilage, the connective tissue covering the ends of bones, and binds them together in the joints, where chondrosarcoma takes root. With age, the risk of developing this form of cancer grows significantly.

The hip is the most often affected site in individuals with this kind of bone cancer. Chromoblastoma is a slow-growing cancer that most often occurs in the pelvis, the upper leg, and the shoulder.

3. Ewing Sarcoma

Children and adolescents with Ewing sarcoma have the disease in their bones and soft tissues. The iliac bone, the hip’s biggest bone, is commonly affected. Pain, limping, and fluctuating temperature are common symptoms in children and adolescents.

4. Chordoma

Known only by the scientific name of “chordoma,” this unusual spinal tumor often develops at the tail (sacrum) or skull base of the vertebral column. Men are twice as likely as women to be affected by these tumors. In addition, these tumors also affect the elderly.

Pain in the legs and problems controlling your bladder or intestines are common when a tumor grows around the base of the spine.

Can Hip Pain Mean You Have Cancer?

Most hip cancer patients have pain as a primary symptom. It might come and go during the day and night and worsen until it becomes constant.

Initially, some movement may ease the discomfort, but heavy exercise worsens the agony as the bone weakens. Fractures may also develop when the bone weakens, although this is rare. When a tumor causes a fracture, the pain is usually severe and unbearable.

How is bone cancer of the hip treated?

Treatment options for hip cancer vary depending on the sort of cancer you’ve got. Here are a few possibilities:

  • Attacking cancer cells with a biological treatment
  • Destruction of cancer cells with chemotherapeutic agents
  • Testing of potential new medicines in a clinical trial
  • Using radiation as a weapon against cancer
  • Using stem cell transplantation to generate healthy stem cells capable of producing healthy blood cells
  • Surgery for cancer removal or bone fracture treatment

A lot of research is going on to target cancer cells. Other treatments to control symptoms of cancer include:

  • Anti-nausea medicine
  • Prevention of infection with the use of antibiotics and other drugs
  • Medication to alleviate pain if necessary
  • Strengthening, arousal, and tiredness reduction are all goals of physical therapy.
  • Vaccinations to prevent flu and pneumonia

The hip bone cancer survival rate

Those diagnosed with chondrosarcoma that has not spread have a 91% probability of surviving for five years.

The 5-year survival rate drops to 33% if the disease spreads to other body parts, such as the lungs. The American Cancer Society’s 5-year survival rate is 80% when all phases are included.

Conclusion

Hip discomfort is quite a serious illness and causes worry. While not all hip pain is caused by cancer, talking to your doctor about your concerns might help you decide if additional testing is necessary. Also, know that there are various treatment choices for hip cancer, and new medicines are being undertaken in the latest clinical trials.

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