Newer treatments for secondary bone cancer

A number of new treatments are being tested for secondary bone cancer. These treatments may not be widely available. If your doctor thinks a newer treatment may be helpful for you, they can refer you to a specialist hospital where the treatment is being given. You may have to travel a long way to a specialist hospital.

Radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation| (RFA) uses heat to destroy cancer cells. It can help to relieve pain that hasn’t responded to radiotherapy and is usually only used to treat small secondary bone tumours. A doctor places a needle into the bone tumour. This is usually done using a CT scanner to make sure the needle is in the right place. Radiowaves are then passed down the needle into the tumour to heat, and so destroy, the cancer cells.

There are very few side effects with this treatment although it is quite common for people to have some pain| or discomfort and to feel tired|. You usually need to stay in hospital overnight with this treatment.

Embolization

Embolization involves injecting a drug directly into the secondary bone cancer. The drug causes the blood vessels in the tumour to block, which starves the tumour of nutrients and oxygen. This can cause it to shrink and can help to relieve pain and spinal cord compression|.

Embolization is mainly used to treat secondary bone tumours in people who had primary kidney (renal) cancer and some types of thyroid cancer. The treatment can be repeated if necessary.