Bone Cancer

Your bones perform a number of essential functions. They support and protect your internal organs. They act as levers and braces for your muscles to help you move. They also produce and store blood cells in the bone marrow. (Read about "Skeletal System")

Cancer that arises in the bone is called primary bone cancer. (Read about "Cancer: What It Is") The National Cancer Institute (NCI) says primary bone cancer is rare, with approximately 2,500 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States.

Primary bone cancer is not the same disease as cancer that spreads or metastasizes to the bone from another part of the body, such as the breast, lungs or prostate. (Read about "Breast Cancer" "Lung Cancer" "The Prostate") When this happens, it's called secondary bone cancer.

Some of the more common forms of primary bone cancer include:

• Osteosarcoma - This is the most common type of bone cancer, according to NCI. It develops in new tissue in growing bones, and tends to occur more frequently in children and adolescents. Common locations include the knees, as well as the upper legs and upper arms. NCI says adults with Paget's disease of bone (Read about "Paget's Disease of Bone"), a noncancerous condition characterized by abnormal development of new bone cells, may be at increased risk for osteosarcoma.
• Chondrosarcoma - This bone cancer arises in cartilage and tends to occur more often in adults. Common locations include the pelvis, upper legs and shoulders.
• Ewing's sarcoma - This bone cancer is thought to begin in immature nerve tissue in bone marrow. It tends to occur more frequently in children and adolescents, but can also affect adults. Common locations include the pelvis, upper legs, ribs and arms. (Read about "Chest Tumors")

Another type of cancer, multiple myeloma also affects bone marrow and parts of the bones, although it actually starts in the cells of the immune system (Read about "The Immune System"), according to NCI. (Read about "Multiple Myeloma & Plasmacytoma")

Although scientists are not certain what causes bone cancer, a number of factors may put a person at increased risk. For example, these cancers occur more frequently in children and young adults, particularly those who have had radiation or chemotherapy treatments for other conditions. (Read about "Radiation Therapy")

Bone cancer can be very painful. It can also interfere with normal movements and can weaken the bones, occasionally leading to a fracture. (Read about "Bone Fractures") The fracture might occur from a minor trauma. Tumors that occur in or near joints may cause swelling or tenderness in the affected area. Other symptoms may include fatigue, fever, weight loss and anemia (Read about "Anemia"). These symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions, and should always be checked with your doctor.

To diagnose bone cancer, the doctor asks about the patient's personal and family medical history and does a complete medical exam. X-rays can show the location, size and shape of a bone tumor. (Read about "X-rays") If x-rays suggest that a tumor may be cancer, the doctor may recommend special imaging tests such as a bone scan, a CT scan, an MRI or an angiogram. (Read about "CT Scan - Computerized Tomography" "MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging") However, a biopsy - the removal of a sample of tissue from the bone tumor - is needed to determine whether cancer is present. (Read about "Biopsy")

NCI says treatment options depend on the type, size, location and stage of the cancer, as well as the person's age and general health. Surgery is one treatment for bone cancer. (Read about "Cancer Treatments") Chemotherapy and radiation may also be used alone or in combination. NCI says that although amputation of a limb is sometimes necessary, pre- or post-operative chemotherapy has made limb-sparing surgery possible in many cases. Surgeons can also remove only the cancerous section of the bone and replace it with an artificial device called a prosthesis or by bone transplantation. (Read about "Transplants")

Related Information:

    Bone Tumors - Benign