Bone Cancer is the term for several different cancers that develop in the bones. When cancer cells grow in a bone, they can harm normal bone tissue. The type of cell and tissue where cancer begins determines the type of bone cancer.
Cancers that form in the bone itself are called primary bone cancers. Many tumors that begin in organs or other parts of the body can spread to the bones, as well as other body parts.
Bone cancers are rare. They make up less than 1% of cancers in the United States. While they can develop at any age, they are more common in children, teenagers, and young adults than in older adults.
There are four types of primary bone cancer:
- Osteosarcoma: The most common type of bone cancer, osteosarcoma develops in the cells where new bone tissue forms. It can start in any bone, but it usually begins at the ends of large bones such as the arms and legs. Providers most commonly diagnose osteosarcoma in children and teenagers.
- Ewing sarcoma: Named for the doctor who first described this type of bone cancer, Ewing sarcoma includes many different tumors that have similar qualities and are believed to begin in the same types of cells. These tumors can form in the bones and in surrounding soft tissues. Ewing sarcoma most commonly grows in the hips, ribs, and shoulder blades, or on long bones such as the legs.
- Chondrosarcoma: Chondrosarcoma begins in tissue called cartilage. Cartilage is a soft connective tissue that allows movement between bones and joints. Some cartilage becomes bone when the body adds calcium to it. This cancer typically forms in the arm, leg, or pelvis bones. Unlike osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, chondrosarcoma occurs more frequently in adults than in younger people.
- Chordoma: This rare tumor begins in the bones of the spine — usually at the base of the spine or the base of the skull. Like chondrosarcoma, chordoma occurs most often in older adults. Men are more likely than women to develop this type of bone cancer.
Bone Cancer Stages:
Stage 1: The tumor is low-grade, and the cancer cells are still localized.
Stage 2: The cancer cells are still localized, but the tumor is high-grade.
Stage 3: The tumor is high-grade and the cancer has spread to other areas within the same bone.
Stage 4: Cancer had spread from the bone to other areas of the body, such as the lungs or liver.
Bone Cancer Symptoms:
- Pain (usually worse at night).
- Unexplained swelling.
- Difficulty moving around.
- Feeling extra tired (fatigue).
- Fever.
Bone Cancer Diagnosed:
Diagnosis of bone cancer, your healthcare provider will often first use X-rays to view images of your bones. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT (computed tomography) scans provide more detailed images of the areas around the bones and are usually obtained before any treatment.
Treatment of Bone Cancer
- Surgery: Your surgeon removes the tumor and some healthy tissue around it. They can also repair or rebuild affected bones with real or artificial bone grafts. Sometimes, an entire limb must be removed to treat cancer. In this case, an artificial limb (prosthetic) can be used. Sometimes repeat surgery is needed if all of the cancer cells were not removed the first time around.
- Radiation therapy: This treatment shrinks the tumors with high doses of X-rays. Healthcare providers often use radiation before surgery to shrink the tumor so less tissue has to be removed.
- Chemotherapy: This type of treatment kills cancer cells throughout the body with medicine. People usually receive this medicine by swallowing a pill or having it injected into a vein. Your provider can use chemotherapy to treat primary bone cancers or bone cancers that have spread.
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