Symptoms of Bone Cancer

The symptoms caused by a bone cancer will vary according to the particular bone that is affected and its position in the body. Symptoms will also vary according to the size of the tumour. Sometimes the first sign may be pain or tenderness in the area of the tumour. This may start as a persistent ache that will not go away and may feel worse at night when the muscles are relaxed. In children this symptom may be mistaken for a sprain or ‘growing pains’.

Another common symptom is swelling around the affected area of bone. The swelling may not show up until the tumour is quite large. It is not always possible to see or feel a lump if the affected bone is deep within the body tissues. If the cancer is near a joint, the lump can make it more difficult for you to move the joint and can affect movement of the whole limb. If the affected bone is in the leg you may find that you limp.

If the cancer is in the spine it may cause pressure on the nerves of the spine and lead to weakness, numbness and tingling in the limbs.

Other less common general symptoms may include tiredness, a high temperature or sweats and weight loss. Bone cancer is sometimes discovered when a bone that has been weakened by cancer breaks after a person has had a minor fall or accident.

Many of the symptoms described above are common to conditions other than cancer. As the symptoms of bone cancer can also be caused by other medical conditions or injuries, it may sometimes take a long time for doctors to find out that the symptoms may be due to a cancer. However, anyone with persistent bone pain (lasting longer than a few weeks) should be referred to a bone specialist (orthopaedic doctor) or a cancer specialist (oncologist).