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Bone Cancer

Bone cancer develops when the cells of the bone and cartilage grow in an uncontrolled or abnormal way.

What is bone cancer?What is bone cancer?

Bone cancer (also known as bone sarcoma) develops when the cells of the bone and cartilage grow in an uncontrolled or abnormal way. It can begin in any bone in the body.

It is different from secondary (or metastatic) bone cancer which refers to a cancer that has started somewhere else in the body and has spread to the bones.

Bone cancer is rare in adults and is more commonly seen in children, adolescents and young adults.

The most common types of bone sarcoma are:

Osteosarcoma – which affects cells that grow bone tissue
Chondrosarcoma – which grows in the cartilage. This type of bone sarcoma is more common in adults.
Ewing’s Sarcoma – which grows in the bones or in the soft tissue around the bones

Signs and symptoms of bone cancerSigns and symptoms of bone cancer

The most common symptom of bone sarcoma is a pain in the bones and joints. It may be worse at night or during activity.

Other symptoms can include:

Swelling

over the affected part of the bone

Stiffness or tenderness

in the bone

Problems with movement

such as an unexplained limp

A fractured bone

Unexplained weight loss

Fatigue

Pain

in bones and joints

Whilst these symptoms may be due to other causes besides bone cancer, it is always important to see your doctor.

Treatment for bone cancerTreatment for bone cancer

Treatment for bone cancer

There are many different types of treatment for bone cancer. Your treatment will depend on you and your cancer. For more information and a full list of treatment options, click here.

Frequently asked questionsFrequently asked questions

What causes bone cancer?

It is not known what causes bone sarcoma, however there are some factors which are thought to increase the risk for developing bone sarcoma:

Genetics – people with a history of sarcomas in their family have a higher risk of developing bone sarcoma
Radiation therapy – people who have had radiation treatment for other conditions have a higher risk of developing bone cancer in the part of the body that was treated with radiation therapy. The risk is higher for people who have had high doses of radiation therapy at a young age.
Bone conditions – some people who have had Paget’s disease and other conditions of the bone are at higher risk of developing bone sarcoma.

ReferencesReferences

For a full list of references, click here.

Cancer Australia. (2018). Sarcoma fact sheet. Retrieved on 20 July 2020 from https://canceraustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/sarcoma-fact-sheet/pdf/sar_sarcoma_factsheet_0.pdf
Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association. (2020). What is Sarcoma? Retrieved on 20 July 2020 from https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/about-sarcoma/what-is-sarcoma
American Cancer Society. (2018). Bone Cancer. Retrieved on 20 July 2020 from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bone-cancer/about/what-is-bone-cancer.html
Cancer.Net. (2018). Bone Cancer: Symptoms and Signs. Retrieved on 20 July 2020 from https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/bone-cancer/symptoms-and-signs
National Cancer Institute. (2020). Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version. Retrieved on 20 July 2020 from https://www.cancer.gov/types/soft-tissue-sarcoma/patient/adult-soft-tissue-treatment-pdq#_26

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