Bone Cancer

When cancer cells form in the tissues of the bone, this is known as bone cancer. Although no one knows exactly what causes it, risk factors associated with the disease include a history of Paget's disease, previous radiation, or previous chemotherapy. Pain is the most common symptom of this disease, but symptoms can vary, depending on the location and size of the cancer. Treatment options for bone cancer can include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery.

 

What Is Bone Cancer?

Bone cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the bone.
 

Understanding Bones

Mature bones are made up of three types of tissue:
 
  • Compact tissue (the hard outer portion of most bones)
  • Cancellous tissue (spongy tissue inside the bones that contains bone marrow, which makes blood cells)
  • Subchondral tissue (smooth bone tissue of the joints).
     
A layer of cartilage covers subchondral tissue to cushion the movement of the joints.
 
The role of the bones is to:
 
  • Support and protect internal organs
  • Act as levers and braces for muscles to produce movement
  • Produce and store blood cells in the bone marrow.
     

Understanding Bone Tumors and Bone Cancer

Bone tumors may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign bone tumors are more common than malignant bone tumors. Although both types of tumors may grow and compress healthy bone tissue and absorb or replace it with abnormal tissue, benign tumors do not spread (metastasize) and are rarely life threatening.
 
Bone cancer that arises in the bone (primary bone cancer) is different from cancer that spreads to the bone from another part of the body (secondary bone cancer). Examples of secondary cancers that commonly spread to the bone are:
 

Types of Bone Cancer

The most common type of bone cancer is osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma develops in the new tissue of growing bones. Other types include:
 
 
While chondrosarcoma begins in the cartilage, evidence suggests that Ewing's sarcoma begins in the immature nerve tissue of the bone marrow. Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma tend to occur more often in children and adolescents, while chondrosarcoma occurs more often in adults. Some people may also develop a rare type of bone cancer called malignant fibrous histiocytoma.
 
(Click Types of Bone Cancer for more information about the different types of this cancer.)
 

Causes and Risk Factors

Although no one knows the exact causes of bone cancer, research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop the condition. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease.
 
Specific risk factors of bone cancer include:
 
  • Being a child or young adult
  • Previous radiation or chemotherapy
  • History of Paget's disease
  • Family history of bone cancer
  • People with hereditary retinoblastoma.
     
(Click Causes of Bone Cancer for more information.)
 

Symptoms

Pain is the most common symptom of bone cancer. However, symptoms may vary, depending on the location and size of the cancer.
 
Other common symptoms include:
 
  • Swelling, tenderness, or stiffness of the affected area
  • Fracture
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Weight loss
  • Anemia.
     
These possible symptoms, however, are not sure signs of bone cancer. Other less-serious health problems can also cause these symptoms. People who have possible bone cancer symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible, because only a doctor can diagnose and treat the problem.
 
(Click Bone Cancer Symptoms for more information about possible symptoms related to this type of cancer.)
 

Diagnosing Bone Cancer

If a person has potential bone cancer symptoms, the doctor will need to perform a physical exam, ask about the patient's personal and family medical history, and recommend additional tests and procedures that examine the bones. Exams and tests that are used to make a diagnosis may include:
 
  • Blood tests
  • X-rays
  • Computed tomography (CT) scan
  • Bone scan
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
  • Angiogram
  • Biopsy.
     
(Click Bone Cancer Diagnosis for more information about how the condition is diagnosed.)
 

Staging

Once a bone cancer diagnosis has been made, your doctor will need to determine where the cancer is located and how far the disease has spread in order to plan the best treatment. This is called staging. Most people are grouped depending on:
 
  • Whether the bone cancer is found in only one part of the body (localized)
  • Whether the bone cancer has spread from one part of the body to another (metastatic)
  • Whether the bone cancer has returned (recurrent).
      

Treatment

Bone cancer treatment options vary based on:
 
  • The type of bone cancer
  • The bone cancer stage
  • Where the tumor is found and the size of the tumor
  • The patient's age and general health.
     
In general, treatments can include:
 
Patients should work with their doctors to develop a treatment plan that meets their medical needs and personal values. Choosing the most appropriate treatment is a decision that ideally involves the patient, the family, and the healthcare team.
 
(Click Bone Cancer Treatment for more information about treatment options for the condition.)
 

Prognosis for Bone Cancer

The American Cancer Society estimated that 2,570 people (1,480 men and 1,090 women) would be diagnosed with bone cancer and that 1,210 men and women would die of it in 2005.
 
The prognosis for bone cancer will depend on:
 
  • The size, location, and type of bone cancer
  • The bone cancer stage (how far the cancer has spread)
  • How long the patient has had symptoms
  • How much of the cancer is taken out by surgery and/or killed by chemotherapy
  • The patient's age, blood, and other test results
  • The patient's general health.
     
(Click Bone Cancer Prognosis for more information about factors that affect the prognosis for this disease.)
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD