Bone Cancer Overview

Bone and soft tissue tumours unit brings together Surgical Oncologists, Medical oncologists, orthopedic surgeons, radiation oncologists, dermatologists, radiologists, nurses, technicians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and psychotherapists.

The place where a cancer starts in the body is known as the primary tumour. A malignant (cancerous) tumour is made up of millions of cancer cells. Some of these cells may break away from the primary cancer and be carried in the bloodstream to another part of the body. The cancer cells may settle in that part of the body and then form a new tumour. If this happens it′s called a secondary cancer or a metastasis.

Sometimes only one area of bone is affected, but in some people a number of bone secondaries develop, often in different bones in the body. Not all the secondaries will cause symptoms or problems.

Although any type of cancer can spread to the bone, the most common types are cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and kidney. People who develop secondary cancer in the bone usually know that they have a primary cancer, although occasionally a secondary bone cancer is found before a primary cancer is diagnosed. If the primary cancer can′t be found it is called an unknown primary tumour.