Osteoblastoma: Therapy

General measures

  • Nicotine restriction (refraining from tobacco use).
  • Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
  • Limited caffeine consumption (max 240 mg of caffeine per day; equivalent to 2 to 3 cups of coffee or 4 to 6 cups of green/black tea).
  • Aim for normal weight! Determination of BMI (body mass index, body mass index) or body composition by means of electrical impedance analysis and, if necessary, participation in a medically supervised program for the underweight.
    • Falling below the BMI lower limit (from the age of 19: 19; from the age of 25: 20; from the age of 35: 21; from the age of 45: 22; from the age of 55: 23; from the age of 65: 24) → Participation in a medically supervised program for the underweight.

Conventional non-surgical therapy methods

  • Radiofrequency ablation (RFA; synonyms: thermal ablation; sclerotherapy) – Because damage to muscles, tendons, soft tissues, and even nerves located in the surgical access path to the nidus (focus) cannot always be ruled out, CT-guided radiofrequency ablation of the nidus is now considered standard therapy and is used primarily for involvement of the dorsal (posterior portions) of the spine. In this procedure, a special probe is inserted into the nidus and heated via an alternating current field at the tip. This destroys the prostaglandin-producing cells (prostaglandin = tissue hormone that triggers pain, among other things) in the center and the pain conduction pathways. The procedure is minimally invasive.Another option of heat ablation is laser ablation (LA).

Vaccinations

The following vaccinations are advised:

  • Flu vaccination
  • Pneumococcal vaccination

Regular checkups

  • Regular follow-up examinations for benign (benign) bone tumors (without risk of degeneration).

Nutritional medicine

  • Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
  • Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means:
    • A total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits daily (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
    • Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
    • High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
  • Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
    • Calcium-rich (1,000 mg calcium/day) diet: fish, fresh vegetables, dairy products, whole grains and nuts are beneficial for bone formation.
    • Vitamin D-rich diet (supplementation with 800-1,000 IU of vitamin D3 required, since no sufficient absorption of vitamin D from food is possible!)
    • Avoidance of phosphate-containing drinks and foods (eg cola drinks, various sausages and meat products).
    • Note that for optimal bone metabolism must be fed less acid-forming foods and instead more base-donating foods.
  • Selection of appropriate foods based on the nutritional analysis
  • See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – if necessary, taking a suitable dietary supplement.
  • Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.

Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)

  • In cases of neurological deficits, physiotherapeutic procedures may be used, possibly in combination with surgery, depending on the exact tumor type.

Psychotherapy