Bones can sometimes be weakened by secondary cancers in them. If this happens they can sometimes be strengthened or repaired.

Sometimes an x-ray shows that a secondary cancer has weakened a long bone such as the thigh bone (femur) or upper arm bone (humerus). If there’s a risk of the bone breaking, you may need an operation to strengthen it and prevent a break from happening.

A metal pin or a locking nail (a nail with screws at each end) can be put down the middle of the weakened bone. This secures and strengthens the bone, holding it firm so that it won’t break. The operation is carried out under a general anaesthetic. The pin or nail can stay in permanently to continually protect the bone. Whether this operation is appropriate for you will depend on which bone is affected by your secondary cancer.

You may need to stay in hospital for up to a couple of weeks after the operation to recover fully, but most people are able to start walking a couple of days after surgery. A physiotherapist may give you exercises to do to help you move your leg more easily.

Sometimes the weakness caused by the secondary bone cancer leads to a crack or a fracture in the bone before a strengthening operation has been done. If this happens, it may still be possible to mend the bone. Your doctor or specialist nurse will discuss this with you.

If secondary cancer has caused a lot of damage to your hip or shoulder joint then you may need to have an operation to replace the joint. You will need to stay in hospital for around three to five days and will have physiotherapy afterwards to help you get used to the new joint.

You may have radiotherapy before and/or after your operation to try to destroy any cancer cells left in the area and help the bone to repair itself.

A newer technique to strengthen a weakened bone involves injections of a bone cement. The doctor puts a needle through the skin and, using x-rays or CT scanning to guide the way, injects the cement into the weakened bone. The operation is carried out either under a general anaesthetic or after you have been given a sedative to make you feel drowsy. This technique can be used to treat bones in the arm or leg, and can sometimes be used when a tumour is affecting the spine, when it is known as vertebroplasty.

Percutaneous cementoplasty is mainly used after other treatments to strengthen the bone have been tried. Your doctor can discuss whether it would be appropriate for you. Percutaneous cementoplasty can also help to relieve bone pain.