Types of Bone Cancer

Human body has a total of 206 different bones. They provide shape and structure to the body as well as support and protect the organs such as brain, heart and lungs. Bone cancer is one of the types of cancer that affects more than 2,000 people in the United States every year. Bone cancer is more commonly found in children and adolescents than in adults. Bone cancer is due to malignant tumor in the bone, which destroys normal bone tissues. So what are the types of bone cancer?

Types of Bone Cancer

Bone cancer can be categorized into different types. Four major types of bone cancer are benign, malignant, primary bone cancer and secondary bone cancer. Benign bone cancer is more common than malignant cancer. Benign tumor generally does not destroy bone tissue or doesn’t spread. It is very rarely life-threatening. Various types of benign bone tumors are osteoblastoma, osteoid osteoma, giant cell tumor, enchondroma, osteochondroma and chondromyxoid fibroma. Malignant tumor destroys normal bone tissues.

Primary Bone Cancer

Malignant tumor that begins in bone tissue is known as primary bone cancer. This type of cancer is quite rare. There are different types of primary bone cancer such as Ewing’s sarcoma, osteosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, chondrosarcoma, chordoma and fibrosarcoma.

• Osteosarcoma is the common type of primary malignant bone cancer. It mostly affects men between 10 and 25 years old. This type of bone cancer is found mainly in the long bones of arms and legs. It occurs in rapid growth areas around the knees and shoulders. This type of cancer is very aggressive with a high risk of spreading to the lungs.
• Chondrosarcoma is the second most common type of bone tumor. This type of tumor originates from the cartilage cells. It is most commonly found in people over 40 years of age. It mostly affects the bones of hips and pelvis.
• Ewing’s sarcoma is the most aggressive type of bone tumor. It occurs mostly in younger people between 4-15 years of age. It mostly affects the middle of the long bones of arms and legs.
• Fibrosarcoma is a very rare type of bone tumor. It occurs in the soft tissues of leg behind the knee area. It affects the people of 35-55 years of age.
• Malignant fibrous histicytoma occurs in the soft tissues such as fat, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It generally occurs in 50-60-year-old people. It mainly affects the extremities.
• Chordoma is a rare type of tumor that affects upper or lower end of spinal column. It occurs mostly in people over 30 years of age.

Various treatment options for primary bone cancer are chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

Secondary Bone Cancer

This type of bone cancer is very common and caused by metastasis. It spreads from other body parts to bone. When a person suffers from lung cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer, it spreads to bone and the person has bone cancer. This bone tumor shows the presence of the same type of abnormal cells.

In addition, lymphoma and multiple myeloma are the common types of bone cancer, which develop in the bones. Lymphoma arises from the cells of immune system. It starts in the lymph nodes, but also can start in the bone. Multiple myeloma arises in the bone. It is the tumor of bone marrow cells.

Symptoms of Bone Cancer

Pain is one of the most common bone cancer symptoms. Bone cancer can affect any bone, but it most commonly affects the long bones of arms and legs. Some of the common signs and symptoms of bone cancer are weakened bones, fatigue, fever, swelling and tenderness in joints, anemia and weight loss. Bones weakened due to bone tumor are more vulnerable to fractures after little or no trauma.