Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Pain, redness, and swelling surrounding the tumor
• Fever
• Weight loss and reduced appetite
• Fatigue
• Paralysis and incontinence (in cases where the tumor is near the spinal cord)
• Numbness, tingling, and paralysis (caused by compression of nerves by the tumor)
• Difficulty breathing if the tumor is in the chest wall

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. You will be treated by a team of doctors which may include an oncologist (doctor who specializes in cancer), orthopaedic surgeon (doctor who operates on bones), and a radiation oncologist (doctor that works with radiation to kill cancer cells).

Tests may include the following:

• Bone scans —to detect presence of a tumor
• CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to look for cancer that has spread to the lungs
• MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the body
• PET scan —to evaluate the metabolic activity of tissue
• Blood tests—to determine abnormalities in the blood
• Biopsy —to determine if a tumor is malignant

Bone Biopsy

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