Bone cancer is a rare type of cancer that can affect any bone in the body. However, it’s unusual for it to begin in your bones. It’s much more likely to have spread to your bones (metastasised) from cancer in another part in your body.
What is bone cancer?
The three most common primary bone cancers are; osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing’s sarcoma.
- Osteosarcoma: a type of cancer that begins in the bones – usually in the leg and upper arm. It’s more common in males and females and in people aged 15-20
- Chondrosarcoma: starts in the bones – usually the pelvis, leg, shoulder or ribs – or it can spread to the bones from another area. It’s more common in men than women and in people aged 40-60
- Ewing’s sarcoma: a rare type of cancer that usually begins in the bones of the hip or leg. It can also affect soft tissues around the bone. It mainly affects people aged 10-20 and is more common in men than women
There are also rarer types of bone cancer. These include cell sarcomas (very similar to osteosarcomas, behave similarly and doctors treat them similarly), fibrosarcomas (rare, in middle-aged adults, thigh bone most commonly) and leiomyosarcomas (very rare type of spindle cell sarcoma).
Causes of bone cancer
It’s not always clear what causes bone cancer. However, you’re more likely to have bone cancer if:
- You have Paget’s disease of bone
- You’ve had radiotherapy
- You have inherited a certain genetic condition such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Symptoms of bone cancer
Having these symptoms doesn’t mean you have bone cancer, but it’s best to get them checked by a doctor. The sooner your cancer is detected, the better the chances of treating it successfully.
Difficulty moving the joint
Extreme tiredness
High temperature
Swelling or redness
Unintentional weight loss
Bone fractures
Bone pain
Tests and diagnosis
Your doctor will carry out a thorough physical examination and may suggest the following tests:
- Blood tests
- Bone marrow biopsy
- Needle biopsy – this involves using a needle to take a small bone sample for testing
- Scans including CT and MRI
- X-rays on the affected are and the chest
Treatments we offer
Your specialist doctor will discuss treatment options with you, which may include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy kills cancer cells. It’s used in the early stages of cancer treatment or after it has started to spread. It can also be used to relieve pain and discomfort from cancer that has spread.
Chemotherapy is medication that treats your cancer. The drugs kill cancer cells, preventing them from dividing and spreading further.
Radiation therapy kills cancer cells. It’s used in the early stages of cancer treatment or after it has started to spread. It can also be used to relieve pain and discomfort from cancer that has spread.
Chemotherapy is medication that treats your cancer. The drugs kill cancer cells, preventing them from dividing and spreading further.
