Bone Cancer Awareness: Signs to Watch for and Treatment Insights

Bone cancer is a rare but serious type of cancer that affects thousands of people every year. While not as common as other types, early detection and proper treatment can significantly improve outcomes. Understanding bone cancer is essential for both patients and their loved ones.

What Is Bone Cancer?

Bone cancer refers to malignant tumors that originate in the bones. It can include several cancers that develop in the bone and harm normal bone tissues. While it can affect any bone in the body, it commonly forms in the longer bones, such as the thigh, shin or upper arm.

Most bone cancers have unknown causes. They occur when cells within or close to a bone undergo an alteration in their DNA. The DNA contains the information needed for growth and multiplication processes, which are fixed at a specific rate. However, these altered cells multiply quickly and refuse to die, which causes too many cells at a particular site. The overpopulation leads to the formation of a mass of abnormal cells called a tumor.

Some people inherit gene mutations from a parent that makes them more at risk for bone cancer. Fortunately, some of these mutations are known, and genetic testing can detect them. Other known causes include aging and exposure to ionizing radiation.

Bone cancer can be primary — which forms in the bone itself — and secondary — which begins in another part of the body and metastasizes to the bone. Approximately 3,900 new cases of primary bone cancer are reported each year. These three are the most prevalent types of bone cancer:

  • Osteosarcoma: The most common type that usually develops in the long bones of the legs and arms.
  • Ewing’s sarcoma: Affects both bones and soft tissues, commonly found in children and adolescents.
  • Chondrosarcoma: Develops in the pelvic, thigh and arm bones. It typically occurs in older adults and affects cartilage-producing cells in the bones.

Recognizing Bone Cancer Symptoms

Recognizing the early signs of bone cancer is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment. Common symptoms include:

  • Persistent bone pain that worsens at night or with activity.
  • Swelling and lumps in the affected area.
  • Limited range of motion or difficulty in moving limbs.
  • Weakened bones that lead to sudden fractures.
  • Fatigue, fever and unexplained weight loss.

If you or a loved one experiences any of these bone cancer signs, it’s essential to consult a doctor for further evaluation.

Bone Cancer Diagnosis

A physician may suspect a tumor after hearing your symptoms and conducting a physical exam for pain, swelling and mobility. However, other infections and illnesses can mimic bone cancer. The doctor may prescribe other diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis. For example:

  • An X-ray helps view your bones and detect tumors.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans allow for a more detailed image of the affected area.
  • A biopsy takes a sample of your bone tissue to verify the presence of cancer and provide information about the type of cancer to help navigate treatment options.

While not definitive, a blood test can also be helpful. Some markers, like high alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), can indicate that the cancer has advanced and increased metastasis.

Early detection through these diagnostic tools is critical in determining bone cancer prognosis and treatment success rates.

The Stages of Bone Cancer

By classifying cancer into stages, medical professionals can ascertain if it is localized — found in a single location — or metastasized — found throughout the body. If it hasn’t already, they also consider the likelihood that it may spread. The possibility that cancer will spread can be inferred from the tumor’s grade or the abnormality of the cancer cells.

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) uses a grading system where cancer can fall under four stages:

  • Stage 1: Tumor is low-grade and less aggressive. Cancer cells haven’t spread.
  • Stage 2: Tumor is high-grade, more organized and more aggressive. Cancer cells haven’t spread.
  • Stage 3: Cancer has spread to more than one place in the same bone in multiple tumors.
  • Stage 4: The most advanced form of the disease. Cancer has spread from the bone to other body parts, including the lungs, lymph nodes or other organs.

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for localized bone cancer can range from 87% to 91%, depending on the kind. However, this may be lower once the cancer spreads.

Bone Cancer Treatment Options

Bone cancer treatment depends on the type, stage and location of the cancer, and it doesn’t always mean surgery.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs kill or slow the growth of cancer cells in the bone and are used primarily for osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma. However, its side effects include nausea, hair loss and immune suppression. It can be taken via injections or pills. Chemo can kill cancer cells anywhere in the body, which makes it useful for cancer that has metastasized.

Treatment is usually given in cycles. Medicine is given for several days, followed by a few weeks of break to help the body recover. The number of cycles depends on the type of cancer and the response to treatment.

Radiation Therapy

High-energy beams target cancer cells to shrink tumors and kill them. Radiation therapy is particularly effective against Ewing’s sarcoma but less effective for other bone tumors. It may also be performed before or after surgery to eliminate remaining cancer cells.

Surgery

Surgery aims to remove the tumor while preserving as much function as possible. This removes cancerous tissues or bone tumors, including affected lymph nodes in some cases. However, to remove every bit of cancer, surgeons also take some of the normal tissue around the tumor. In severe cases, an amputation may be necessary, although limb-sparing techniques are increasingly successful.

Both radiation therapy and chemotherapy can help prevent the need to amputate or stop the cancer from spreading.

Fight Against Bone Cancer With Awareness

Awareness is one of the most powerful tools when you or a loved one is living with bone cancer. Recognizing the early signs, understanding treatment options and seeking timely medical care can significantly improve outcomes. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms, don’t wait — consult a health care professional.

Share this page

Subscribe to Our Newsletter