Protect Your Bones During Prostate Cancer
What happens when prostate cancer spreads to the bones and what can be done? Find out the answers to these questions and more.
A diagnosis of prostate cancer is difficult enough, yet about 90% of men with metastatic prostate cancer will face another challenge: bone metastasis. That’s when cells travel from the tumor and settle in the bones. The result can be pain and fractures that prevent you from doing the things you love like gardening, going out with friends or taking a stroll. The good news: You can do plenty keep bones strong.
What is metastasis?
Bone metastasis (aka “bone mets”) occurs when cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and enter the blood and lymph vessels. “From there, they are able to travel to distant sites in the body,” explains Swarnali Acharyya, PhD, of the Cancer Biology & Genetics Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. “But it’s not an easy process—only .001% of the cancer cells survive.” Unfortunately, those that do can lodge in other areas—often, in bone tissue—and start to grow new tumors.
How long the process of metastasis takes can vary greatly: In most cases, bone mets occur years after the initial diagnosis of prostate cancer; however, in rare cases they are a man’s first sign of the disease.
It’s important to note that bone mets are different from bone cancer: Bone mets are made of cells from the original cancer. So, for example, when prostate cancer spreads, the tumor is made of prostate cancer cells and it’s known as metastatic prostate cancer.
How bones are affected
Bones are constantly renewing and rebuilding themselves, thanks to two different kinds of cells: osteoblasts, which are responsible for creating new bones, and osteoclasts, which break down old bones. However, cancer cells can send both types of cells into overdrive, causing either an abnormal buildup of bones or small holes that weaken bones.