What Is the Life Expectancy for Someone With Metastatic Bone Cancer?
According to Orthobullets, the life expectancy for someone with metastatic bone cancer is about six months. However, WebMD points out that this depends largely on age of the patient and how far along the disease is.
The life expectancy for those with metastatic bone cancer depends on several factors including, according to Orthobullets, whether the cancer is operative or not. If it is operative, a patient could live for more than six months.
WebMD explains that metastatic bone cancer is caused when another kind of cancer spreads to the bones. While it is incurable, there are ways to treat the disease in order to prolong the life of the patient and give him or her a reasonable quality of life. Treatments include treating the original cancer, taking drugs that help to prevent bones from breaking down, injecting cement into weak bones to strengthen them and relieve pain, and undergoing surgery.
According to WebMD, the primary symptom of metastatic bone cancer is back pain. Other symptoms include broken bones and numbness caused when vertebrae are affected, placing pressure on the spinal cord. In addition, high levels of calcium in the blood may lead to confusion, extreme thirst, loss of appetite, nausea and tiredness.
