Diagnosis
Your care team may start with a physical exam and medical history. You may have blood tests to learn more about your overall health or rule out other conditions. Blood tests alone can't diagnose bone cancer. Imaging tests and a biopsy are usually needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Imaging tests
Imaging tests make pictures of the body. They can show the location and size of a bone cancer. Tests might include:
- X-ray.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
- Bone scan.
Biopsy
A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. For bone cancer, the sample of tissue might be collected by:
- Inserting a needle through the skin. During a needle biopsy, a healthcare professional inserts a thin needle through the skin and guides it into the cancer. The health professional uses the needle to collect small samples of tissue.
- Removing the sample during surgery. During a surgical biopsy, a surgeon makes an incision in the skin to access the cancer. The surgeon removes a piece of the cancer for testing.
Determining the type of biopsy you need and how to do the biopsy requires careful planning by your medical team. Healthcare professionals need to perform the biopsy in a way that won't interfere with future surgery to remove bone cancer. Whenever possible, the biopsy should be performed by the team that will treat the bone cancer.
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Treatment
Bone cancer treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Which treatments are best for your bone cancer depends on several factors. These factors include the type, location and stage of the bone cancer. Your healthcare team also considers your overall health and your preferences.
Surgery
The goal of surgery for bone cancer is to remove all of the cancer. The surgeon may remove the bone cancer and some healthy tissue around it. Then the surgeon repairs the bone. This might involve using a piece of bone from another part of your body. Or the bone may be repaired with metal or plastic material.
Sometimes surgeons need to remove an arm or leg to get all of the cancer. This isn't common, but it might be needed if the cancer grows very large, if the cancer is in a place that makes surgery difficult, or if important nerves, blood vessels or other structures are involved. After an arm or leg is removed, you may choose to use an artificial limb. With training and time with the new limb, you can learn to do many everyday tasks.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treats cancer with strong medicines. Many chemotherapy medicines exist. Most chemotherapy medicines are given through a vein. Some come in pill form.
Chemotherapy is often used after surgery for some types of bone cancer. It can kill any cancer cells that remain and lower the risk that the cancer will come back. Sometimes chemotherapy is given before surgery to shrink a bone cancer and make it easier to remove.
Not all types of bone cancer respond to chemotherapy treatments. Chemotherapy is often used to treat osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. It's not often used for chondrosarcoma but may be used for certain uncommon subtypes.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy treats cancer with powerful energy beams. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources. During radiation therapy, you lie on a table while a machine moves around you. The machine directs radiation to precise points on your body.
Radiation therapy might be used after surgery to kill any bone cancer cells that might remain. It also might help control bone cancer when surgery isn't an option.
Some types of bone cancer are more likely to be helped by radiation therapy than others. Radiation therapy may be an option for treating Ewing sarcoma. It's not often used to treat chondrosarcoma or osteosarcoma but may be used when surgery cannot remove the tumor completely.
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Clinical trials
Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Coping and support
A cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. With time, you'll find ways to cope with the distress and uncertainty of cancer. Until then, you may find it helps to:
- Learn enough about bone cancer to make decisions about your care. Ask your healthcare team about your bone cancer, including your treatment options and, if you like, your prognosis. As you learn more about bone cancer, you may feel more confident in making treatment decisions.
- Keep friends and family close. Keeping your close relationships strong can help you deal with your bone cancer. Friends and family can provide the practical support you'll need, such as helping take care of your home if you're in the hospital. And they can serve as emotional support when you feel overwhelmed by cancer.
- Find someone to talk with. Find a good listener who is willing to listen to you talk about your hopes and fears. This may be a friend or family member. The concern and understanding of a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group also may be helpful. Ask your healthcare team about support groups in your area.
Preparing for your appointment
If you have any symptoms that worry you, start by making an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional. If your health professional suspects you may have bone cancer, you may be referred to a specialist. Bone cancer is often treated by a team of specialists that may include:
- Surgeons who operate on bones and joints, called orthopedic surgeons.
- Orthopedic surgeons who specialize in operating on cancers that affect the bones, called orthopedic oncologists.
- Doctors who specialize in treating cancer with medicine, called medical oncologists.
- Doctors who specialize in treating blood and bone marrow conditions including cancer, called hematologists.
- Doctors who use radiation to treat cancer, called radiation oncologists.
- Doctors who analyze tissue to diagnose the specific type of cancer, called pathologists.
- Rehabilitation specialists who can help you recover after surgery.
How to prepare
Because appointments can be brief, it's a good idea to be prepared. Try to:
- Be aware of any restrictions before your appointment. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet.
- Write down any symptoms you have, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medicines, vitamins or supplements that you're taking.
- Consider taking a family member or friend along. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who goes with you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Bring your previous scans or X-rays, the related reports and any other medical records important to this situation to the appointment.
Questions to ask
Preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time with your care team. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For bone cancer, some basic questions to ask include:
- What type of bone cancer do I have?
- What is the stage of my bone cancer?
- How quickly is my bone cancer growing?
- Will I need any additional tests?
- Should my biopsy or treatment be done at a center that specializes in bone cancer?
- What are the treatment options for my bone cancer?
- What are the chances that treatment will cure my bone cancer?
- What are the side effects and risks of each treatment option?
- Will treatment make it impossible for me to have children?
- I have other health conditions. How will cancer treatments affect my other conditions?
- Is there one treatment that you think is best for me?
- What would you recommend to a friend or family member in my situation?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
- If I would like a second opinion, can you recommend a specialist?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared, don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment.
What to expect from your doctor
Be prepared to answer some questions about your symptoms and your health history. Questions may include:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been ongoing, or do they come and go?
- How severe are your symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Aug. 13, 2026