Print OverviewBone cancer is a growth of cells that starts in a bone. Bone cancer can start in any bone. But it most often affects the thighbone. The term "bone cancer" doesn't include cancer that starts in another part of the body and spreads to the bones. Instead, cancer that spreads to the bone is named for the place it began. For example, cancer that starts in the lungs and spreads to the bones is still lung cancer. Healthcare professionals might call it lung cancer that has metastasized to the bones. Cancer that starts in the bones is rare. Different types of bone cancers exist. Some types of bone cancers mostly happen in children. Other types happen mostly in adults. Common bone cancer treatments include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. The best treatment for your bone cancer depends on the type of bone cancer, which bone is affected and other factors.Products & ServicesA Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health BookNewsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital EditionShow more products from Mayo Clinic Types Chondrosarcoma Ewing sarcoma Osteosarcoma SymptomsSigns and symptoms of bone cancer include: Bone pain. Swelling and tenderness near the affected area. Weakened bone, which can lead to a broken bone. Feeling very tired. Losing weight without trying. When to see a doctorMake an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional if you have any symptoms that worry you. Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. 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Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest about cancer news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at [email protected]. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesThe cause of most bone cancers isn't known. Bone cancer starts when cells in or near a bone develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA gives instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give different instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to make many more cells quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells. The cancer cells might form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. In time, cancer cells can break away and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it's called metastatic cancer. Types of bone cancer Osteosarcoma Enlarge image Close Osteosarcoma Osteosarcoma Osteosarcoma is a kind of bone cancer. It most often starts in the long bones of the legs or the arms. But it can happen in any bone. Bones contain a variety of different types of cells. Bone cancers are broken down into separate types, often based on the type of cell where the cancer began. The most common types of bone cancer include: Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that begins in the cells that form bones. It's the most common type of bone cancer. Osteosarcoma tends to happen most often in teenagers and young adults. But it also can happen in younger children and older adults. Osteosarcoma happens most often in the long bones of the legs and sometimes the arms. Very rarely, it happens in soft tissue outside the bone. Chondrosarcoma. Chondrosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that usually begins in the bones, but can sometimes occur in the soft tissue. Chondrosarcoma happens most often in the pelvis, hip and shoulder. It happens most often in middle-aged and older adults. Ewing sarcoma. Ewing sarcoma is a type of bone cancer that begins in the bones and the soft tissue around the bones. Ewing sarcoma mostly happens in children and young adults, although it can happen at any age. It most often begins in the leg bones and in the pelvis, but it can happen in any bone. Risk factorsThings that increase the risk of bone cancer include: Inherited genetic syndromes. Certain rare genetic syndromes passed through families increase the risk of bone cancer. Examples include Li-Fraumeni syndrome and hereditary retinoblastoma. Other bone conditions. Some other bone conditions may increase the risk of bone cancer. The other bone conditions include Paget's disease of bone and fibrous dysplasia. Cancer treatment. Radiation therapy for cancer and some kinds of chemotherapy medicines used to treat cancer may increase the risk of bone cancer. Healthcare professionals haven't found any ways to prevent bone cancer. By Mayo Clinic Staff Bone cancer care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment May 11, 2024 Print Show references Niederhuber JE, et al., eds. Sarcomas of bone. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 1, 2024. Primary bone cancer. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/bone/bone-fact-sheet. Accessed April 1, 2024. Bone cancer. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=1&id=1418. Accessed April 1, 2024. Hornicek FJ, et al. Bone tumors: Diagnosis and biopsy techniques. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed April 1, 2024. Azar FM, et al. Malignant tumors of bone. In: Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 1, 2024. Member institutions. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/home/member-institutions. Accessed April 1, 2024. COG institution locations. Children's Oncology Group. https://www.childrensoncologygroup.org/apps/instmap/default.aspx. Accessed April 1, 2024. Related Osteosarcoma Associated Procedures Bone scan Chemotherapy CT scan MRI Needle biopsy Positron emission tomography scan Radiation therapy X-ray Show more associated procedures Products & Services A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report. Learn more about this top honor Bone cancerSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here for an email preview. Email address I would like to learn more about Up-to-date cancer news & research Mayo Clinic cancer care & management options ErrorSelect a topic ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Address 1 Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest about cancer news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at [email protected]. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry