Bone cancer

Bone cancers most often begin with concern about a lesion in an organ or tissue. Most often, this organ or tissue has suffered damage through injury or disease, such as an abscess, tumor, ulcer or wound..

If a lesion is suspected, our multidisciplinary team works together to determine whether a biopsy of the lesion is necessary. A biopsy will allow our doctors to find out if bone cancer is present.

Bone cancer can develop in any bone, however, it often develops in bones of the arms and legs.

Symptoms of bone cancer can include:

• A bone that feels weak or fractures easily
• A noticeable lump on a bone
• Continuous bone pain that worsens over time or keeps you from sleeping
• Inflammation or redness over a bone

Bone cancer is most often diagnosed through a biopsy. Most bone biopsies are minimally invasive and completed using a small needle. During the procedure, the needle is inserted directly into the area in question to retrieve a sample of the cells. On rare occasions, an open biopsy (surgery) is needed to make a diagnosis.

After a diagnosis is provided, our doctors discuss individual care options for the patient, including treatment plans.

The most common treatments for bone cancer include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery