Most commonly, bones are the site of tumors that spread or metastasize from another organ, such as the breasts, lungs or prostate. Cancer that arises in the bone — primary bone cancer — is rare.
Bone tumors may be benign or malignant. Benign bone tumors are more common, but both types may grow and compress healthy bone tissue and absorb or replace it with abnormal tissue. Benign tumors, however, don’t spread and is rarely life threatening.
The most common type of bone cancer is osteosarcoma, which develops in new tissue in growing bones. Another type of cancer, chondrosarcoma, occurs in cartilage. Ewing’s sarcoma begins in immature nerve tissue in bone marrow. Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma tend to occur more frequently in children and teens, while chondrosarcoma occurs more often in adults.
Emphasis is placed on preserving bone. When surgery is necessary, treatment is tailored to fit the nature and location of the tumor. In some cases, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are administered.
Most often, limbs can be successfully saved with the use of bone allografts, which is bone tissue from a human donor, and custom prosthetic implants. A rehabilitation program is developed with the assistance of nursing staff, therapists, prosthetists and social workers. We then follow the patient’s progress to ensure long-term favorable outcomes.