Has anyone had a bone biopsy?

[Barbara H.]

I will probably have to have a bone biopsy to find out more information about the status of my cancer. I was originally diagnosed in 98, and it could have changed somewhat. I only have bone mets in three places and they are small. However, my CEA is rising. Navelbine worked for awhile, but now I will probably have try a different chemo. I just had a PETCT this morning. If you have had a bone biopsy, what was your experience?
Thanks,
Barbara H.

[StephN]

Dear Barbara -

Sorry to hear that the bone spots are still present. What I hope for you is that the PET/CT will not show activity in those spots. Bone can be difficult to figure out - sort of like our brain mets problem!

If the bone spots do light up, can you have some radiation treatment to them?? There are supposed to be good results this way.

With a rising CEA, I would want a brain MRI, which I know you have fairly often. When did you have the last one?? I am on an every 3-month schedule now.

[Lani]

They Try To Biopsy Non Weightbearing Bones So You Don't Have To Use Crutches While It Heals. Is It A Rib, A Sternum, A Pelvic Bone?

Some Areas Are More Accessible--easier To Get To Without Having To Approach Them Through Areas With Important Structures And More Have The Biopsy Technique Be Certain To Actually Sample The Area In Question.

If You Give More Info It Would Help.

[Barbara H.]

I have bone mets in three areas: One vertibrete, the clavicle, and somewhere on the hip.
Thanks,
Barbara H.

[Lani]

they can biopsy a vertebrae with but that is much trickier than biopsying your collar bone (depending on its location in the collar bone) The top of the lung lies behind the middle of the collar bone, but if the lesion lies near either end and particularly if it lies superficially (skin-side of the bone) it would make it easier.

Is the "hip" lesion, truly in the hip which is a ball and socket joint made up of the top of the thigh bone (femur) and the socket called the acetabulum which is part of the pelvis or in what is commonly referred to as the hip which includes much of the pelvic bone as well.

Pelvic bone lesions that are near the less "upholstered" parts are relatively accessible for biopsy.

Will your biopsy be done by an interventional radiolgist or orthopaedic surgeon? If an orthopaedic surgeon, will it be one who specializes in tumors (usually only at major medical centers)?

It is hard to answer what a bone biopsy would be like as it depends on which bone, where in the bone (deep or superficial, what important structures are nearby), whether the bone is weightbearing or not (hip is, clavicle is not, vertebrae is) so I am not sure YET what help others can provide until you know which bone they are thinking of biopsying.

Biopsies can be done with instruments that are like apple-corers and it depends on the size of the apple-corer how much the biopsy weakens the bone (if it is weightbearing) and how near a joint that moves the bone is in
terms of how sore the overlying muscles might be with movement after the biopsy.

Hope some of this helped!

[Barbara H.]

Thank you, Lani. The whole procedure does not sound exciting. I am being treated at the Dana Farber. I have only spoken with my oncologist about the possiblilty. I have not had a referral yet. I am not sure which bone would be of interest at this point.
Barbara H.