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. In fact, noncancerous bone tumors are much more common than cancerous ones. Bone cancer is when unusual cells grow out of control in your bone. It destroys normal bone tissue. It may start in your bone or spread there from other parts of your body (called metastasis).

The term "bone cancer" doesn't include cancers that begin elsewhere in the body and spread to the bone. Instead, those cancers are named for where they began, such as breast cancer that has metastasized to the bone. 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.

You may not notice symptoms of a bone tumor, whether it's cancer or not. Your doctor might find it when they look at an X-ray of another problem, such as a sprain. But symptoms can include pain that:
1) Is in the area of the tumor
2) Is dull or achy
3) Gets worse with activity
4) Wakes you at night
5) An injury won’t cause a bone tumor
6) Fevers
7) Bone pain
8) Night sweats
9) Swelling and tenderness near the affected area
10) Weakened bone, leading to fracture
11) Limping
12) Fatigue
13) Unintended weight loss

It's not clear what causes bone cancer, but doctors have found certain factors are associated with an increased risk, including:
1) Inherited genetic syndromes. Certain rare genetic syndromes passed through families increase the risk of bone cancer, including Li-Fraumeni syndrome and hereditary retinoblastoma.
2) 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.
3) 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.

The following may be risk factors for bone cancer:
1) having a family history of cancer, especially bone cancer
2) having received radiation treatment or therapy in the past
3) having Paget’s disease, which is a condition that causes the bones to break down and then grow back abnormally
4) currently or previously having had multiple tumors in the cartilage, which is the connective tissue in the bone

Types of bone cancer:
Primary bone cancers are the most serious of all bone cancers. They form directly in the bones or surrounding tissue, such as cartilage. Cancer can also spread, or metastasize, from another part of your body to your bones. This is known as secondary bone cancer, and this type is more common than primary bone cancer. Common types of primary bone cancers include:
1) Multiple myeloma (MM)
Multiple myeloma is the most common type of bone cancer. It occurs when cancer cells grow in the bone marrow and cause tumors in various bones. MM usually affects older adults. Among bone cancers, MM has one of the best prognoses, and many people who have it don’t require treatment.
2) Osteosarcoma (Osteogenic sarcoma)
Osteosarcoma, or osteogenic sarcoma, generally affects children and adolescents, but it can also occur in adults. It has a tendency to originate at the tips of the long bones in the arms and legs. Osteosarcoma may also start in the hips, shoulders, or other locations. It affects the hard tissue that provides the outer layer of your bones.
3) Chondrosarcoma
Chondrosarcoma may occur in the pelvis, thigh areas, and shoulders of older adults. It forms in the subchondral tissue, which is the tough connective tissue between your bones. This is the second most common primary cancer involving the bones.
4) Ewing’s sarcoma
Ewing’s sarcoma is a rare cancer that either begins in the soft tissues surrounding the bones or directly in the bones of children and young adults. The long bones of the body — such as the arms and legs — and the pelvis are commonly affected.

If your doctor confirms a diagnosis of bone cancer, he or she tries to determine the extent (stage) of the cancer because that will guide your treatment options. Factors to be considered include:
1) The size of the tumor
2) How fast the cancer is growing
3) The number of bones affected, such as adjacent vertebrae in the spine
4) Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
The stages of bone cancer are indicated by Roman numerals, ranging from I to IV. The lowest stages indicate that the tumor is smaller and less aggressive. By stage IV, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
● Stage 1 bone cancer hasn’t spread from the bone.
● Stage 2 bone cancer hasn’t spread, but may become invasive, making it a threat to other tissue.
● Stage 3 bone cancer has spread to one or more areas of the bone, and is invasive.
● Stage 4 bone cancer has spread to the tissues surrounding the bone, and to other organs such as the lungs or brain.

Doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history and do a physical exam. They’ll look at pictures of your bones through imaging tests such as:
1) X-rays. These show tumors and how big they are.
2) CT scans. A computer uses X-rays to make more detailed pictures.
3) MRI scans. These use a strong magnet to show inside your body.
4) PET scans. A technician injects radioactive glucose (sugar) into your vein. A scanner then spots cancer cells, which use more glucose than regular cells.
5) Bone scans. A technician injects a different radioactive material into your vein. It collects in your bones, where a scanner can see it.
6) Blood tests. Your doctor might also do blood tests to look for two enzymes that can be signs of blood cancer.
7) Biopsy. A procedure called a biopsy can confirm a diagnosis. Your doctor takes a sample of the tumor with a needle or through a cut in your skin. A trained technician looks at the tissue or cells under a microscope. They can tell if your tumor is benign or a primary or secondary cancer. They can also get an idea of how fast it’s growing.

The treatment options for your bone cancer are based on the type of cancer you have, the stage of the cancer, your overall health and your preferences. Different bone cancers respond to different treatments, and your doctors can help guide you in what is best for your cancer. For example, some bone cancers are treated with just surgery; some with surgery and chemotherapy; and some with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
1) Surgery
The goal of surgery is to remove the entire cancerous tumor. In most cases, this involves special techniques to remove the tumor in one single piece, along with a small portion of healthy tissue that surrounds it. The surgeon replaces the lost bone with some bone from another area of your body, with material from a bone bank or with a replacement made of metal and hard plastic.
Bone cancers that are very large or located in a complicated point on the bone may require surgery to remove all or part of a limb (amputation). As other treatments have been developed, amputation is becoming less common. If amputation is needed, you'll likely be fitted with an artificial limb and go through training to learn to do everyday tasks using your new limb.
2) Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses strong anti-cancer drugs, usually delivered through a vein (intravenously), to kill cancer cells. However, this type of treatment works better for some forms of bone cancer than for others. For example, chemotherapy is generally not very effective for chondrosarcoma, but it's an important part of treatment for osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.
3) Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams of energy, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. During radiation therapy, you lie on a table while a special machine moves around you and aims the energy beams at precise points on your body.
Radiation therapy is often used before an operation because it can shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove. This, in turn, can help reduce the likelihood that amputation will be necessary. Radiation therapy may also be used in people with bone cancer that can't be removed with surgery. After surgery, radiation therapy may be used to kill any cancer cells that may be left behind. For people with advanced bone cancer, radiation therapy may help control signs and symptoms, such as pain.

5-year relative survival rates for bone cancer
1) Localized: 91% There is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the bone where it started.
2) Regional: 75% The cancer has grown outside the bone and into nearby bones or other structures, or it has reached nearby lymph nodes.
3) Distant: 22% The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as to the lungs or to bones in other parts of the body.

Cancer is a life threatening disease that can affect anyone regardless of race, age, and gender. Traditional cancer treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy often result in undesirable and uncomfortable side effects such as vomiting, numbness, nausea, and diarrhea to name a few. Herbal medicine is a complementary therapy that some people with cancer use to ease cancer symptoms. Herbal remedies for cancer such as those commonly found in traditional medicine contains antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, and apoptosis inducing compounds that help in slowing the development of cancer and relieve treatment side effects for patients.

Herbal medicine has a wide variety of applications but all of them rely on the sustainable use of various plant parts such as flowers, leaves, bark, and roots. Each part of a plant features different medicinal properties and uses. Although herbal medicine has countless use cases, cancer care is one of the most practical applications because of how harsh traditional oncology treatments can be on patients.

Herbal remedies are a part of a growing field of medicine called integrative oncology. Research conducted on the use of herbal medicine for cancer complementary therapy has proven herbs can:
• Slows the spread of cancer
• Reduces the side effects of cancer treatment
• Boosts immune system strength and functionality
• Minimizes the symptoms of cancer
• Attacks cancer cells

Several herbs may help control the side effects of conventional cancer treatment. However, doctors do not recommend that cancer patients take herbal medicine while undergoing normal traditional cancer treatment. Herbal medicines may be likely less to cause side effects than traditional drugs. But patients may can still experience complications. Some herbs may can cause negative interactions with chemotherapy drugs. Closely monitor how you feel before and after taking herbal remedies. Patients should always consult with their doctor before trying herbs as a complementary therapy or the supplements to avoid complications.