Bone Cancer

Bone cancer is a rare cancer that is distinguished as cancer that begins in bone cells, as opposed to bone marrow (leukemia), or metastatic cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body. Chondrosarcomas develop in cartilage cells and are more common in adults. Osteosarcomas develop in bone cells and are more common in children. Survival rates for bone cancer vary, depending on type and stage, but the average five-year survival rate is approximately 70%. Risk factors for bone cancer are often associated with other diseases, such as Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, and other disease treatments, such as radiation therapy. Symptoms of bone cancer include pain, swelling, and possibly a lump in the area of the tumor. The stages of bone cancer range from I to IV depending on tumor size and spread. The most common treatment for bone cancer is surgery. Though most bone cancers do not respond strongly to radiation treatments, they are occasionally used in conjunction with surgery.