When too many cancer cells grow in the bone, a cancerous tumor can form. It's often not clear why bone cancer starts.

Usually bone cancer is found because a person is feeling pain. But not all bone cancers cause pain. Sometimes people have a lump, a bone break or a fever. 

There are many ways your doctor may find bone cancer. Your doctor might do one or more of the following:

• A physical exam
• A blood test 
• An imaging test, like an X-ray or bone scan 
• A biopsy (taking a sample of tissue from your body and testing it)
• Ask about your family medical history as well as yours

Bone cancer is not common. Less than 1% of all cancers found are bone cancer. 

Bone cancer is more common with people who have: 

• Had a bone marrow transplant 
• A family history of bone cancer 
• Certain genetic disorders 
• A history of Paget disease (a problem with how bones form)

There isn't a known way to stop bone cancer. To stop many kinds of illness, it helps to: 

• Have a low-fat diet (eating plan) 
• Eat fruit and vegetables 
• Get exercise as often as you can

How we care for bone cancer depends on many factors: 

• Type of cancer
• Size of the cancer
• Where the cancer is located in the body 
• Stage of cancer 

Your doctor will work with you to find the right care plan for you. Some examples of treatment include:

• Surgery to remove cancer 
• Chemotherapy (medication to make the cancer smaller or to kill cancer cells)
• Radiation (using X-rays to kill cancer cells)
• Cryosurgery (using cold temperatures to freeze or kill cancer cells) 
• Targeted therapy (using drugs to stop cancer cells from growing and spreading)