What Is Bone Cancer?
Bone cancer is a type of cancer that affects the bones. It may be primary, which means the tumor began in the bone cells; or secondary, which means the cancer began elsewhere then spread to the bones. Secondary bone cancers are not really bone cancers since they originate outside the bone, and so are not the subject of this article.
Osteosarcoma is the medical term for the most prevalent type of bone cancer. The condition is extremely rare, accounting for less than one percent of all cancer cases in the United States. According to National Health Service [1] in the UK, only around 550 diagnoses of bone cancers are made each year.
There are different types of bone cancer, and they differ by their primary locations and the age range most commonly affected. Regardless, all bone cancers share a few symptoms. Because cancers often only present symptoms when the condition has progressed, they may not appear early.
Here are some signs and symptoms of bone cancer: