Symptoms+&+Diagnosis


 * ===The most common symptom associated with bone cancer is pain. In most cases, the symptoms gradually become more severe with time. They may last for weeks, months, or even years. ===
 * ===In some cases, a mass or lump may be felt on the bone or tissues surrounding it. The bone may become weakened by the tumor and can fracture from common movements or idle support of the body's weight. The spread of the cancer is usually signified by a fever, chills, night sweats, and weight loss, although these symptoms are less comm on. ===
 * ===However, pain around bones and joints does not always guarantee the presence of a tumor, and may be caused by another unrelated illness. ===


 * ===The detection of bone cancer is usually due to its symptoms, primarily pain and fractures. A doctor's visit and a medical history examination lead into tests of muscle strength, sensation to touch, reflexes, and blood. ===
 * ===X-rays are then employed, in order to pinpoint the cancer and its stage. Other diagnosis tools are CAT scans, MRIs, and bone scans, which help to determine whether the cancer has metastasized to other areas of the body. ===


 * ===X-rays can show the location, size, and shape of a bone tumor. If x-rays suggest that an abnormal area may be cancer, the doctor is likely to recommend special imaging tests. Even if x-rays suggest that an abnormal area is benign, the doctor may want to do further tests, especially if the patient is experiencing unusual or persistent pain. ===


 * ===A bone scan is a test in which a small amount of radioactive material is injected into a blood vessel and travels through the bloodstream. It then collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner. ===


 * === A computed tomography (or CAT scan) is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles, that are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. ===


 * === A **magnetic resonance imaging procedure (or MRI)**, uses a powerful magnet linked to a computer to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body without using x-rays. ===


 * ===A positron emission tomography (or PET) scan is done by injecting a small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is into a vein, and a scanner is used to make detailed, computerized pictures of areas inside the body where the glucose is used. Since cancer cells often use more glucose than normal cells, the pictures can be used to find cancer cells in the body. ===


 * ===A biopsy is used to determine whether cancer is present in a specific tissue. The surgeon may perform a needle biopsy or an incision biopsy. In an needle biopsy, the surgeon makes a small hole in the bone and removes a sample of tissue from the tumor with a needle-like instrument. In an incisional biopsy, the surgeon cuts into the tumor and removes a sample of tissue. The tissue is then examened to determine whether it is cancerous or not. ===


 * ===Blood tests are done to determine the level of an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase. A large amount of this enzyme is present in the blood when the cells that form bone tissue are very active—when children are growing, when a broken bone is mending, or when a disease or tumor causes production of abnormal bone tissue. Because high levels of alkaline phosphatase are normal in growing children and adolescents, this test is not a completely reliable indicator of bone cancer. ===