What is Bone Cancer?

Someone telling you that you have cancer is one of the most horrible things one can hear. Just thinking about all the problems that can come up and how long treatment takes can affect not only the person who has it, but also the people around them. However, the scariest part of cancer is that there are so many types of it out there, and people might not even know anything about them. Yes, everyone knows the main ones like lung, breast and brain cancer, but what about the other not so common ones. Bone cancer is one such example and is a type that is often overlooked, but it's never too early for us to become informed about it.

More than 2,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with bone cancer or a bone tumor each year. The tumors often occur in children and adolescents more than it occurs in adults. If an adult does have bone cancer, it's most likely because the disease has spread from another area in the body.

There are several types of bone cancer and the most common is called Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is primarily a malignant form of the cancer occurring mainly in males between 10 to 25 years of age. The cancer forms in the long bones of the arm and legs at time of rapid growth rate.

Another form of bone caner is Ewing's sarcoma. This is the most aggressive form of bone cancer and occurs in children between 4 to 15 years of age. It is more common in males but rarely occurs if they are over 30 years old.

Chondrosarcoma is the second most common form of bone cancer. It accounts for about 25% of all malignant bone tumors. However, what is interesting about this form of cancer is that it is most commonly found in adults over 40 years old. It is most commonly found in males and has a tendency to spread to the lungs. It occurs in the hips and pelvis.

These types of bone cancer are the more common forms although there are several more types which are not covered here. Cancer is becoming increasingly hard to diagnose because there are just so many different types of it. In addition, it's actually quite difficult to know where to look for it. However, the more we know about the different types of cancer, the more easier it is for us to recognize them when they occur and to take early remedial action to arrest or eradicate this deadly disease. Earlier positive intervention can increase our chances for an early recovery and a higher survival rate.