People with bone cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with bone cancer do not show any of these symptoms. Or, these symptoms may be caused by a medical condition that is not cancer. If you are concerned about a symptom or sign described below, please talk with your doctor.

When a bone tumor grows, it presses on the normal tissue and destroys bone tissue, which can cause symptoms. The earliest symptoms of bone cancer are pain and swelling in the area of the tumor. The pain may come and go at first, then become more severe and steady later. The pain may worsen with movement, and there may be swelling in the soft tissue nearby. A tumor that occurs near or in joints may cause the joint to swell and become tender or stiff, which means a person may have a limited and painful range of movement.

A pronounced limp (if the leg is affected) or a fracture (break) in the bone with the tumor are symptoms of later-stage bone cancer. Rarely, people with bone cancer may have symptoms such as fever, generally feeling unwell, weight loss, and anemia (low red blood cell level).

Your doctor will ask you questions about the symptoms you are experiencing to help find out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis [2]. This may include how long you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s) and how often.

If cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms and side effects remains an important part of cancer care and treatment. This may also be called symptom management, palliative care, or supportive care. Be sure to talk with your health care team about symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.