This information has been reviewed by:
Mary Antonello, cancer nurse RN, PostGrad. Dip. Cancer Nursing & Palliative Care, MRCNA
True bone cancers include osteosarcoma , chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, fibrosarcoma and giant cell tumour of bone.
Bones are formed from different types of tissue: cartilage, bone marrow and periosteum (formed from cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts).
Bones support the body and bear the weight of the rest of the tissue. While bones are very hardy and strong, they can fracture and break under pressure. Because they are living and growing all the time, breaks can heal.
True bone cancer is called ‘sarcoma'. Sarcomas can grow in bone anywhere in the body.
Around 46 people are affected by bone cancer each year in Victoria. In 2004 (the most recent figures) around 16 people died from bone cancer in Victoria.
Most cancer that occurs in the bone has spread from somewhere else, such as the breast or lung. These metastatic cancers are different from cancers that start in bone, and are treated like the cancers they spread from (e.g. breast cancer in the bone is treated like breast cancer, not bone cancer).
It is not known what causes most bone cancers. Some are due to a gene change inherited from a parent and some are due to a gene change that happens during a person's lifetime.
Pain in the area of the cancer is a common symptom. There is sometimes swelling in the area of the cancer. Cancer can weaken bone, so fractures are more likely to happen.
If you have one of these symptoms, but have not been diagnosed with this cancer, remember that this cancer is rare, and your symptom is probably due to something else. However, see your doctor if you have any symptom that persists for more than two weeks.
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