Bone Cancer
Why choose us for bone cancer care?
At Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, you can access some of today’s leading advances in sarcoma treatment, close to home. Our collaborative approach makes it easy to receive the therapies and support you need.
You will find a robust team of sarcoma experts and enhanced treatment options for all types of bone cancers. Because we care for a high volume of bone cancer patients, we have the expertise to deliver exceptional quality care to children and adults of all ages.
Find out more about our sarcoma cancer program and pediatric sarcoma program.
What you need to know about bone cancer
- Cancer that first begins growing inside bone tissue is called primary bone cancer. Metastatic (or secondary) bone cancer develops somewhere else in the body and spreads to bone.
- Our doctors treat all types of bone cancers in children and adults of all ages. Our pediatric sarcoma experts treat a large number of teens and young adults with osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.
- Each type of bone cancer acts and responds to treatment in unique ways. Molecular and genomic tests can reveal important details about the cancer affecting you. These details equip our doctors to recommend the right treatments for your situation.
- Bone cancers, which are rare, most commonly develop during childhood, especially adolescence. Our care team includes social workers and clinical psychologists who understand the needs of teenage and young adult bone cancer patients. They offer invaluable support, such as helping families cope and coordinating school demands during cancer treatment.
- Many people travel from outside San Antonio for our care. We help patients and families coordinate services in multiple ways, such as undergoing lab testing close to home for your convenience.
How to talk to your doctor about bone cancer
We understand the difficulties that a bone cancer diagnosis can present. Our team is here to support patients and families.
A member of our team will explain your diagnosis. We will also detail your treatment options, including what to expect and how treatment may impact your life.
Our center makes a wealth of resources available to you. We encourage you to reach out to your care team whenever you have questions or need guidance.
You might want to ask your doctor about:
- Additional testing, if any, that may be needed to inform a diagnosis or treatment plan
- Cancer details, including the type of bone cancer, whether it has spread and how it may affect your overall health
- Treatment options, including any clinical trials for which you may be eligible
- Potential treatment side effects and how we can help you maintain your routine with as little disruption as possible
- Support services and resources, including fertility preservation options and counseling, designed to meet the needs of young people through our adolescent and young adult cancer program
Types of
Our specialists treat the many forms of bone cancer, including:
- Osteosarcoma usually develops near the ends of the arm or leg bones. It most often affects teenagers and young adults.
- Chondrosarcoma starts in cartilage tissue (cells that protect the ends of bones at joints).
- Ewing sarcoma tumors often develop inside leg and arm bones. It sometimes grows from the body’s soft tissues, like muscle.
- Chordoma are often slow-growing tumors that develop in the bones of the skull or spine.
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