11 Resources for Patients with Bone Metastases
We have searched the Web for solid information on bone metastases so that you can spend less time digging and more time learning. As you will see when you peruse the resources offered by the 11 reputable resources we've identified, much can be done to both alleviate any symptoms caused by bone metastases and prevent the cancer from spreading.
Learning that cancer has spread to your bones is devastating. In trying to educate yourself on bone metastases, you may also find yourself becoming frustrated because no sites focus specifically on this cancer complication. Locating information often requires conducting detailed searches at Websites hosted by various cancer and other health organizations, including those focused on a specific cancer type, such as breast cancer. We have searched the Web for solid information on bone metastases so that you can spend less time digging and more time learning. As you will see when you peruse the resources offered by the 11 reputable resources we’ve identified, much can be done to both alleviate any symptoms caused by bone metastases and prevent the cancer from spreading.
American Cancer Society
On the American Cancer Society Website, you can find an All About Bone Metastases section, which provides an overview of this cancer complication, including information on risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.
Betterbonehealth.com
Betterbonehealth.com, which is sponsored by Novartis, features sections on Cancer & Bone Metastases and Multiple Myeloma. The section on Cancer & Bone Metastases section reviews bone metastases; symptoms of bone metastases; how bone metastases affects bone health and causes complications, including fractures; and how bone metastases are diagnosed. There is also a section that outlines steps you can take to alleviate bone pain, including questions you may consider asking your oncologist to ensure your bone health is being protected.
Bone & Cancer Foundation
www.boneandcancerfoundation.org
At the Bone & Cancer Foundation Website, you can find numerous downloadable publications, including Surgical Management of Cancer that Spreads to the Bone; Myeloma Bone Disease; Osteonecrosis of the Jaw—Information for Cancer Patients; and Physical Therapy and Other Rehabilitation Therapies for Patients with Cancer and Bone Involvement. There is also a Glossary that includes definitions of medical terms in case a term is unclear, a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and well as Information About Clinical Trials.
Breast Cancer Network of Strength
At the Network of Strength Website, you can find an article that discusses treatments of cancer in the bones, reviewing bisphosphonates (eg, zoledronic acid), chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and various radiopharmaceuticals. You can also access a transcript of a teleconference entitled Bone Health and Managing Bone Metastases, which provides more personal insights into coping with bone metastases.
BreastCancer.org
The BreastCancer.org Website has a page that provides a brief overview of metastatic and non-metastatic bone and joint pain and measures that may be taken to alleviate this debilitating symptom.
CANCERcare
At the CANCERcare Reading Room, you can download several publications on bone health by cancer type, including for lung or prostate cancer and bone metastases.
GRACE
At the GRACE (Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education) Website, you can find a Management of Bone Metastases section, which features three articles covering treatment approaches for bone metastases: Bone Metastases in Lung Cancer: An Introduction; Pain from Bone Metastases: Treatment Approaches, Focusing on Radiation; and Surgery for Bone Metastases? When, Why, and How? Also, under Cancer 101, you can access three articles examining denonsumab, a drug developed for osteoporosis that is also demonstrating considerable benefit in the setting of bone metastases: Update on Denosumab for Prevention of SREs [skeletal-related events]; An Emerging Potential Therapy for Bone Health: Denosumab, and Overview of Bone Metastases and Bisphosphonate Treatment.
eMedicine
The eMedicine Website features a detailed article on bone metastases, reviewing frequency, risk factors, presentation, diagnosis (including differential diagnosis), imaging findings (eg, radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging), and treatment of this cancer complication. The article was last updated in 2008. While the article contains complex medical terminology because it is intended for a professional audience, it contains comprehensive information not included in most consumer-focused articles and may help you gain familiarity with medical terms that you may regularly encounter in discussions with your oncologist.
Healthline.com
Healthline.com includes an Understanding Bone Metastases section that includes 3D body maps, basic information, an in-depth overview, an FAQ section, articles on different treatments, videos, and more.
LIVESTRONG
At the LIVESTRONG Website, you can find several personal accounts of patients who have bone metastases. There is also an article that discusses chronic pain and mentions bone metastases as a cause. The article outlines numerous strategies you can employ to alleviate pain, such as taking a pain reliever (eg, acetaminophen, opioid, fentanyl), using deep breathing techniques, massage, nerve block, and more.
zero
At the zero Website, sponsored by the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, you can find a Managing Bone Metastases and Pain section, which includes information on how cancer affects the bones and how a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D may protect the bones from fracture or further metastasis. The section also lists common symptoms of bone loss and metastases and offers guidance on how you can reduce their risk of further metastases and/or alleviate bone pain.
