Bone cancer is caused when cells that make the bone start to malfunction. There are different types of bone cancer, but the symptoms are almost the same for all types.

One of the sure shot symptoms of bone cancer is pain in the affected area of the bone. The pain is mostly nocturnal, and can also be felt after vigorous physical activity. The pain may stay for months or even years. Some patients can feel a lump on the affected bone or in the surrounding tissues.

Weakness in the bone is another alarming symptom of bone cancer. With weakness comes the risk of bone fracture. The affected bone becomes tender and can break at the slightest trauma.

Bone cancer spreading to the surrounding nerve can cause a dull pain, numbness, or a tingling sensation near the affected area. At times even the surrounding blood vessels are affected, and this can disturb blood flow in the body. If the patient complains of fever, chills, night sweats and rapid weight loss, there is high possibility that cancer has spread to the surrounding blood vessels and tissues.

In case the cancer develops near a joint, the patient finds it extremely difficult to move the joint. Joint pain will follow inevitably, with severe problems in limb movement. If bones in the leg are affected, the patient may walk with a limp.

Treatment of bone cancer depends on whether the cancer is benign or malignant, what type of bone cancer it is, which bone is affected, and whether or not the cancer has spread to the surrounding nerves, blood vessels and tissues. Bone cancer can be treated through surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.

In case of surgery, the surgeon removes the entire tumour from the bone. If it is found that there are normal bone cells surrounding the tumour, it is a visible proof that the entire tumour has been removed. However, if it is found otherwise, it means that cancer cells are left behind in the body and further treatment would be required. The gap left after removal of the affected area can be filled either with bone cement, a bone graft, or with bone taken from the bone bank. If a larger area is extracted, then the surgeon may go for a metal implant. 

In chemotherapy, medications are used so that the growth and spread of cancer cells can be checked. Doctors suggest chemotherapy before surgery in order to shrink the bone tumour to facilitate quick and effective surgery. Post-surgical chemotherapy is also given so that the remaining cancer cells can be killed.

In radiation therapy, X-ray beams are aimed at the affected area to destroy the cancerous cells. Too much radiation can be harmful, so radiation is given in small doses over a prolonged period of time. Radiation can be given either before of after a surgery.