Ontario Podiatric Medical Association (OPMA)

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Bone Cancer

Bone cancer can begin in any bone in the body, but it most commonly affects the pelvis or the long bones in the arms and legs. Bone cancer is rare, making up less than 1 percent of all cancers. However, bone cancer does affect feet.

Some types of bone cancer occur primarily in children, while others affect mostly adults. Surgical removal is the most common treatment, but chemotherapy and radiation therapy also may be utilized. The decision to use surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is based on the type of bone cancer being treated.

The most common symptom of bone cancer is pain in a bone or joint that doesn’t go away and may be made worse by exercising. The pain may worsen at night.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of bone cancer include:

Bone pain
Swelling and tenderness near the affected area
Weakened bone, leading to fracture
Unintended weight loss

Causes

The cause of most bone cancers is unknown. A small number of bone cancers have been linked to hereditary factors, while others are related to previous radiation exposure.

Risk Factors

It's not clear what causes bone cancer, but certain factors are associated with an increased risk, including:

Inherited genetic syndromes. Certain rare genetic syndromes passed through families increase the risk of bone cancer.
Paget's disease of bone. Most commonly occurring in older adults, Paget's disease of bone can increase the risk of bone cancer developing later.
Radiation therapy for cancer. Exposure to large doses of radiation, such as those given during radiation therapy for cancer, increases the risk of bone cancer in the future.

Contact Us

OPMA | Ontario Podiatric Medical Association

P.O. Box 87538 Thornhill Square RPO

300 John Street Markham, ON L3T7R3

Tel: 905-475-3098

Email: contact@opma.ca

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