Photo: Ron Lach

What cancers cause back pain?

A number of cancers can metastasize to the spine, including breast cancer, testicular cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. In fact, approximately 25% of people with lung cancer report back pain as a symptom.

sharp.com - What Type of Cancer Can Cause Back Pain? | Sharp HealthCare

What leafy greens are good for kidneys?

Dark leafy greens, such as spinach or kale, are packed with vitamins and minerals that promote healthy kidney function. These vegetables also...

Last updated Jan 8, 2018

How do I know if turmeric is working?

Unfortunately, turmeric doesn't offer a quick fix, so you'll need to take it daily to notice results. If you were wondering how long it takes...

Last updated Jun 14, 2018

Promotion

Millions of people experience some type of back pain during their lifetime. Back pain is common and usually related to an injury or muscle issue. But less commonly, it can also be a sign of a more serious medical condition, such as cancer. “Back pain isn’t commonly a symptom we see before someone is diagnosed with cancer,” says Dr. Marilyn Norton, an oncologist and hematologist affiliated with Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. “However, we often see patients ignore their back pain because they assume it is the same pain they have always had. Worsening back pain is a concern that should be brought to the attention of your physician.” When back pain is a symptom of cancer, it’s usually a side effect of treatment, such as chemotherapy, or because the cancer has spread — or metastasized — to another part of the body, typically the spine. A number of cancers can metastasize to the spine, including breast cancer, testicular cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. In fact, approximately 25% of people with lung cancer report back pain as a symptom. This is because a tumor in the lungs can put pressure on the spine or can affect the nerves around the chest wall and spine.

Types of cancer-related pain

There are different types of back pain that cancer can cause:

Mechanical pain occurs when the cancer damages the structures of the spine, and it becomes unstable. This pain usually worsens when patients get up and move around, so treatment commonly involves wearing a brace or some other method of stabilizing the spine. Inflammatory pain is caused by the cancer itself, as most cancers release molecules that can cause irritation, inflammation and pain. Treatment is typically limited to treating the cancer itself. Radicular pain is nerve pain, which occurs when the cancer is pushing on a nerve in the spine. It can feel like an electric shock going down a limb or around the chest. Sciatica is the most well-known type. Radicular pain can be relieved by treating the tumor to stop it from compressing the nerve causing the pain. “Back pain is an issue for many of our patients under treatment,” says Dr. Norton. “There is physical therapy, medications and supportive devices, such as back braces, that we can use to help.” According to Dr. Norton, back pain should be treated with special attention when it lasts more than 6 weeks or is accompanied by:

Fever

Chills

Night sweats

Unexplained weight loss

Bowel issues

Bladder issues

While back pain as a symptom of cancer is rare, it is important to talk with your doctor about any changes you experience or anything causing you concern. For the news media: To speak with Dr. Norton for an upcoming story, please contact Erica Carlson, senior public relations specialist, at erica.carlson@sharp.com.

Are dried cranberries just as good as fresh?

Cranberries, in general, dried, or fresh, are loaded with nutrition in the form of vitamins and antioxidants. Dried cranberries contain almost the...

Last updated Nov 26, 2022

Is enlarged prostate permanent?

Although there is no cure for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate, there are many useful options for treating the...

Last updated May 6, 2020

Promotion

Why PSA test is not recommended?

Possible Harm from Screening False positive test results: This occurs when a man has an abnormal PSA test but does not have prostate cancer. False positive test results often lead to unnecessary tests, like a biopsy of the prostate. They may cause men to worry about their health.

cdc.gov - What Are the Benefits and Harms of Screening for Prostate Cancer? | CDC

Dr. Alex Krist, vice chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, provides an overview of the Task Force’s prostate cancer screening recommendation in this video. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) is an organization made up of doctors and disease experts who look at research on the best way to prevent diseases and make recommendations on how doctors can help patients avoid diseases or find them early.

The Task Force made the following recommendations about prostate cancer screening—

Men who are 55 to 69 years old should make individual decisions about being screened for prostate cancer with a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. Before making a decision, men should talk to their doctor about the benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer, including the benefits and harms of other tests and treatment. Men who are 70 years old and older should not be screened for prostate cancer routinely. The goal of screening for prostate cancer is to find cancers that may be at high risk for spreading if not treated, and to find them early before they spread. However, most prostate cancers grow slowly or not at all.

Possible Benefits of Screening

The benefits of screening for prostate cancer may include—

Finding prostate cancers that may be at high risk of spreading, so that they can be treated before they spread. This may lower the chance of death from prostate cancer in some men.

Some men prefer to know if they have prostate cancer.

Possible Harms

Can cranberry juice help prostatitis?

Cranberry juice Cranberry juice is most well-known for the beneficial effect it can have on symptoms of a urinary tract infection; however, it may...

Last updated Aug 14, 2021

How do I know if my estrogen is high?

Symptoms of high estrogen in women bloating. swelling and tenderness in your breasts. fibrocystic lumps in your breasts. decreased sex drive....

Last updated Jan 19, 2019

Promotion

Can prostate surgery be done twice?

The risk of side effects is usually higher when a treatment is used as a second-line treatment than when it's used as your first treatment. This is...

Last updated Jun 3, 2020

Promotion

Can you get a hard on without a prostate?

Undergoing surgery to remove the prostate will likely damage some of the nerve endings surrounding the prostate. This can disrupt the body's...

Last updated Jun 25, 2021