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Low back pain is a common health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Low back pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including muscle strain, structural abnormalities of the spine, and degenerative diseases of the bones. However, recent studies have suggested that low back pain may be associated with cancer. This discovery has caused widespread concern and concern.
According to statistics, about 80% of cancer patients have experienced symptoms of low back pain before the cancer cells spread to other organs. If you find that you often have pain in your lower back in your daily life, and it is accompanied by these three symptoms, you should be alert to the possibility that there may be cancer in your body.
1. Back pain has these three characteristics, and it is cancer!
Low back pain is a common physical discomfort symptom that usually occurs with exertion and can usually be relieved by rest, but there are also cases where low back pain can be a sign of illness. Understanding the common characteristics of low back pain can help us detect potential health problems early, and if your low back pain has these three characteristics, be alert to cancer!
1. Persistent low back pain
The lower back is an important area of motor support in the human body, and when cancer spreads to the lumbar spine or nearby tissues, it can have a direct benign or malignant effect on the lower back. This spread can cause bone destruction in the lumbar spine, which can lead to fractures or collapses of the lumbar spine, which in turn compresses the surrounding nerves and soft tissues, causing low back pain. In addition, tumors can release inflammatory mediators that irritate surrounding tissues, causing pain in the lower back.
Persistent low back pain is one of the common clinical manifestations of cancer. When cancer spreads to the lumbar spine or its surrounding tissues, it causes pain in the lower back, and this pain usually persists or gets progressively worse. In addition to pain, patients may also experience other cancer-related symptoms such as fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, etc.
Unlike low back pain in general, low back pain caused by cancer is usually constant. Patients experience the persistence of low back pain, which is often difficult to relieve. It is very important to distinguish areas of low back pain from low back pain caused by muscle strains or other external blows. If you have low back pain for more than a few weeks or even months, and you still feel severe pain despite rest and treatment, it may be one of the signs of cancer.
The main goal of treating persistent low back pain is to relieve pain and improve the patient's quality of life. Commonly used treatments include medications, radiation therapy, and surgery. Medications can use analgesic medications, pain patches, hormones, and chemotherapy drugs to reduce low back pain symptoms. For patients with bone metastatic low back pain, radiation therapy is a common treatment to reduce bone pain and relieve the compressive effects of the tumor.
2. Aggravation of low back pain for no reason
Under normal circumstances, low back pain can be caused by a sprain, overuse, or staying in the same position for long periods of time. However, when there is no obvious cause for low back pain, it gradually worsens, which may be related to cancer.
In cancer patients, common types of low back pain include mechanical low back pain and loose low back pain. Mechanical low back pain is usually associated with damage and inflammation of the joints, ligaments, muscles, and other parts of the lumbar spine. This type of low back pain can often be relieved with appropriate rest, lifestyle changes Xi, and physical therapy. Radiation low back pain is more likely to be the result of cancer.
This type of low back pain often radiates down to the hips, back of the thighs, knees, and even feet, and is worse at night or at rest, and may gradually worsen over time.
3. Accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms
Unlike low back pain alone, low back pain caused by cancer is often accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms. These uncomfortable symptoms may vary depending on the type and stage of the cancer. Some common accompanying symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, unexplained fever, night sweats, etc. The presence of these symptoms may mean that the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or that there is another serious problem.
2. What cancers may cause lower back pain?
Cancer is one of the most common diseases in the world, which is not only a huge threat to people's health, but also closely related to low back pain. So what exactly are the cancers that can cause lower back pain?
1. Kidney cancer
Kidney cancer, also known as renal cell carcinoma, is a common urinary malignancy that originates in nephrons in the kidneys and is one of the most common solid tumors in adults. Renal cell carcinoma can be divided into different subtypes, including the most common detoxification cell type and acinar cell carcinoma. This tumor is highly aggressive and recurrent, and its occurrence is often accompanied by lower back pain.
Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States has shown that patients with kidney cancer frequently experience symptoms of low back pain, which may be the result of kidney tumors compressing surrounding tissues or causing radicular pain.
Low back pain caused by kidney cancer tends to occur in the kidney area, and the pain may spread down to the abdomen or lower abdomen. This symptom often changes with the growth of kidney tumors and may be intermittent or worsen with activity. For example, patients with larger kidney tumors are more likely to have symptoms of lower back pain. At the same time, low back pain caused by kidney cancer may also be accompanied by symptoms such as hematuria, weight loss, and fatigue.
2. Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is also closely linked to low back pain, especially when cancer cells spread to the peritoneum and abdominal cavity wall. Low back pain caused by ovarian cancer is usually dull or bloating, which may be accompanied by non-specific symptoms such as abdominal bloating, nausea, and loss of appetite. If a female patient feels discomfort in the lower back and has the above symptoms, a comprehensive examination should be carried out as soon as possible for early detection and treatment.
3. Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor that originates from abnormal cell proliferation in pancreatic tissue. The pancreas is located in the abdominal cavity and is responsible for secreting important substances such as digestive enzymes and insulin. Because of its insidiousness and lack of obvious symptoms, pancreatic cancer is often referred to as the "silent killer". According to statistics, the incidence of pancreatic cancer is increasing year by year worldwide, becoming the fourth leading cause of death from malignant tumors.
The pancreas is an important digestive organ in the body, which is located behind the abdominal cavity and close to the spine. The symptoms and manifestations of pancreatic cancer are diverse, and due to the special location of the pancreas, the early symptoms are less obvious and difficult to notice. However, low back pain is one of the most common symptoms in patients with pancreatic cancer.
The growth and spread of pancreatic cancer can cause compression of surrounding tissues and nerves. This compression can cause abnormal pain signaling, which can lead to low back pain. Inflammatory factors and tumor-related substances produced by pancreatic cancer can cause overexcitation of pain receptors, further exacerbating the sensation of pain. In addition, lower back pain can also be due to abnormal endocrine function of the pancreas due to tumor destruction, causing pancreatic inflammation, resulting in pain.
Low back pain is important as an early warning sign of pancreatic cancer. As pancreatic cancer progresses, the size of the tumor gradually increases, and the corresponding pain increases. Some studies have shown that more than 70% of pancreatic cancer patients experience low back pain symptoms of varying severity prior to presentation, with about 80% to 90% of patients experiencing low back pain in the 6 months prior to diagnosis. Therefore, for the early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer, the observation and evaluation of low back pain is particularly important.
4. Bone cancer
Bone cancer is a rare but serious tumor disease that can cause low back pain. Bone cancer usually originates in bone tissue and can be classified into two types: benign and malignant. Benign bone cancer usually does not spread to other parts, while malignant bone cancer is aggressive and can spread to other parts of the body.
The symptoms and manifestations of bone cancer vary from person to person, but in general, common symptoms include bone pain, fractures, fatigue, weight loss, anemia, etc. When bone cancer occurs around the spine, especially in the lumbar region, patients may experience symptoms of low back pain. Low back pain may be intermittent or continuous, and severe pain may limit the patient's ability to perform daily activities.
The mechanism of bone cancer causing low back pain is a complex process that involves multiple aspects such as bone structure, nervous system, and inflammatory response. When bone cancer occurs near the lumbar spine, it can cause direct damage and damage to the bone structure, leading to the appearance of low back pain.
First, bone cancer cells grow and destroy the structure and function of normal bone tissue. Bone cancer cells are highly aggressive, and they are able to spread and multiply continuously, destroying the structure of the surrounding normal bones. When bone cancer cells invade the vicinity of the lumbar spine, they will directly destroy the bone structure of the lumbar spine, resulting in the disintegration of the bones and the instability of the lumbar spine.
Secondly, bone cancer cells can also cause an inflammatory response, which in turn induces pain. When bone cancer cells invade bone tissue, they release a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemical mediators that simultaneously activate and attract the migration and infiltration of inflammatory cells. The aggregation of these inflammatory cells and the release of chemical signaling substances can stimulate pain receptors, leading to the sensation of low back pain.
In addition, the growth and division of bone cancer cells can also lead to abnormal metabolism and alterations in bone tissue. Bone is an active tissue that continuously undergoes a balanced regulation of bone resorption and bone production. When bone cancer cells invade bone tissue, they disrupt this balance, leading to disordered resorption and production of bone.
This abnormal bone metabolism may lead to a decrease in bone density and an increase in bone fragility, which can lead to the occurrence of low back pain. For patients with low back pain, it is very important to seek medical attention in a timely manner, and early detection and treatment can improve the cure rate and survival rate.
3. Summary
By fully understanding the characteristics of low back pain as a manifestation of cancer, we can better understand the relationship between low back pain and health, and at the same time, we can take appropriate preventive and early diagnosis measures, and through early medical treatment, comprehensive examination and diagnosis, and formulate the right treatment plan, we can better cope with the challenges brought by low back pain and cancer, and improve the success rate of treatment. Let's always pay attention to the body's signals, maintain a healthy lifestyle, detect and treat early, and protect our health together!
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Kidney pain or back pain, how to distinguish it?, Liu Yao, Everyone Health, 2022-12-05
"Sitting" and talking without back pain, Yang Yanyan, secretary work, 2022-04-10
What should I pay attention to for back pain? , in China, health care for the elderly, 2016-01-01