Symptoms of Bone Marrow Cancer

The soft spongy tissue which lies inside the bones is referred to as bone marrow. It contains stem cells that are transformed into Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs) and platelets. Iron stored in the bone marrow helps produce required amount of RBCs which play an important role in transportation of oxygen to body cells. RBCs, WBCs, platelets are required for the formation of healthy blood in the body. When stem cells that produce blood become cancerous, symptoms of bone marrow cancer are noticed. Bone cancer is a life-threatening disease, so let us first try to understand various types of bone marrow cancer.

Types of Bone Marrow Cancer

When cells in the bone marrow start growing abnormally, the condition is referred to as primary bone marrow cancer. When cancer develops in some other organ of the body and spreads into the bones, it is known as secondary bone marrow cancer. This article deals mainly with primary bone marrow cancer symptoms. Types of primary bone cancer that start in the blood forming cells of bones include

• Multiple Myeloma: Plasma cells in the bone marrow produce antibodies which help fight infections and diseases. Abnormal growth of plasma cells seriously affects the immune system. Large amount of abnormal antibodies are noticed in the blood and urine. Plasma cell tumors destroy the surrounding bones. The tumors can simultaneously affect multiple sites of the body and so are referred to as multiple myeloma.
• Lymphoma: This type of cancer generally invades lymph nodes, but it can also develop in bone marrow.
• Leukemia: Excessive production of abnormal WBCs in the bone marrow is referred to as leukemia. Acute leukemia is difficult to control, as it progresses rapidly. It requires prompt treatment. Chronic leukemia, as the name suggests, progresses slowly.

Primary bone cancer may start in cells other than blood forming cells of the bone. For example:

• Osteosarcoma: This is the most common type of primary bone marrow cancer. Cancerous tumors of bones are developed.
• Chondrosarcoma: Cancerous growth is seen in the cartilage cells of the bone.
• Ewing's sarcoma: Tumors develop in the bone cavities, usually in long bones like arm or leg bones.
• Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma: It is the cancer of soft tissues like ligaments, tendons, fat and muscles.

Bone Marrow Cancer Symptoms

As explained above, bone marrow cancer affects blood producing cells and destroys the surrounding bones. Bone marrow cancer symptoms may vary from person to person depending upon his overall health, age, severity of the disease, etc. Bone cancer symptoms like fever, fatigue, poor appetite and weight loss are generally neglected or misinterpreted. Most of the symptoms of bone marrow cancer resemble symptoms of other common diseases. One should undergo various tests if weight loss without any reason and excessive fatigue is noticed. Cancer detected at early stage can be controlled with the help of proper treatment. Here is the required information regarding bone marrow cancer symptoms.

• Fever and chills: These are symptoms of bone cancer as well as various other ailments and so are often neglected.
• Loss of Appetite: Affected body metabolism can lead to loss of appetite.
• Fatigue: The person experiences low energy levels, fatigue and lethargy.
• Deep Pain: Tumors in bones may cause deep pain in the bones.
• Muscle pain: If you frequently experience muscle pain, achy legs, then you should consult your doctor.
• Joint pain: Tenderness in bones, especially near joints should not be left untreated.
• Fractures: Frequent and unexplained bone fractures suggest bone marrow cancer.
• Hard Lump on the Bone: Any kind of lump should never be neglected.
• Frequent Infections: This shows that your immune system is impaired.
• Increased Health Complications: Low immunity leads to various other health complications.
• Anemia: Anemia may occur owing to the reduced number of red blood cells.
• Dizziness: Excessive fatigue, weakness, breathing difficulty, lack of oxygen, etc. results in dizziness.
• Difficulty while Breathing: Breathing difficulty, weakness are symptoms of many types of cancers, including bone marrow cancer.
• Difficult Movement: Restricted movement of arms or legs indicates problem in bones, so prompt investigation is necessary.
• Inflammation of Joints: Swollen, stiff joints are considered as symptoms of arthritis but bone marrow cancer can also cause swollen joints and joint pain.

Symptoms of bone marrow cancer may vary depending on the location, size and stage of the cancer. Remember, noticing one or more of the above mentioned symptoms does not mean that you have bone cancer. After physical examination and after checking various test reports, a doctor can find out the exact cause behind the symptoms and can arrive at the final conclusion.