Symptoms of osteosarcoma
This information has been written for patients, their families and friends and the general public to help you understand more about some of the possible signs and symptoms of osteosarcoma and to raise awareness of them.
Presentation: doctors talk about 'presentation' when they mean 'symptoms' and 'clinical signs.'
Symptoms are what the patient or parent/ carer see or feel. Clinical signs are what the doctors may see during a physical examination, giving doctors clues about what is wrong with a patient.
What are the symptoms and clinical signs of osteosarcoma?
The most common symptoms that people report and clinical signs are:
- Bone pain; may be intermittent at first then becoming more persistent, especially at night.
- Swelling: this can be seen if it is on a bone near the surface of the body but in other places, like on the pelvis, it may not be visible.
- Reduced movement of a joint, or a limp.
Less common and rare symptoms can include, tiredness (doctors call this fatigue), tingling (pins and needles), weight loss, a high temperature or fever, night sweats and breathlessness.
Symptoms vary from patient to patient and can range in their severity. They may be mild at first coming on over a period of weeks. They may also appear suddenly.
Some people have symptoms for weeks or months before they are diagnosed with osteosarcoma. This can be because the symptoms of osteosarcoma are quite general and are like those of other illnesses and injuries. Most patients do not actually feel ill until the cancer has been there for a long time.
You can read patients' and their family's experiences in the My Bone Cancer Story section.
Last reviewed: October 2010; Version: 1.1
Review due: October 2011
The authors and reviewers of this information are committed to producing reliable, accurate and up to date content reflecting the best available research evidence, and best clinical practice. We aim to provide unbiased information free from any commercial conflicts of interest. This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. BCRT can answer questions about primary bone cancers, including treatments and research but we are unable to offer specific advice about individual patients. If you are worried about any symptoms please consult your doctor.
