what causes bone cancer?
Bone cancer is very rare. There are two main types of bone cancer, the Ewing’s sarcomas and the osteosarcomas. There is no particular cause for bone cancer. However, there are certain risk factors due to which bone cancer is caused. These include:
Age
Age is an unusual cause of cancer. Bone cancer is very common in young people. The diagnosis of Osteosarcoma is seen in young adults or teenagers. It is rarely found in teenage years and has an association with the growth of bones during puberty. The chances of this type of bone cancer are very high after 60 years of age. Another common bone cancer type, Ewing’s sarcoma occurs mainly in young people between the ages of 10 and 20. However, the occurrence is seen in older adults and children as well.
Injuries and knocks
There are many people who think that bone cancer can be caused due to a knock or injury to the bone.
However, there is no particular evidence to this. Many a times, swelling is caused due to injury. Sometimes, there is a weakening of bones which is affected due to cancer. There is a likelihood of damage being caused to the bones due to accident. Then the tumor is spotted by the doctor, while the accident is being investigated.
Cancer treatments
If bones are exposed to radiation, bone cancer may be caused. If a person has had a radiotherapy in the past, there is an increased risk of Osteosarcoma. The greatest risk involved is when a person is treated with high doses of radiotherapy at a very young age.
Other bone diseases
Sometimes, the chances of bone cancer increases if a person is suffering from another bone disease. If a person is suffering from Paget’s disease, the risk of getting Osteosarcoma is slightly increased. The occurrence is mainly seen in the people who are above 60 years of age.
Genetic factors
Sometimes there is a condition known as Li-Fraumeni syndrome which runs in families. This is mainly caused by genes that are inherited from the parents. The risk of developing bone cancer is increased if this syndrome is running in the family. Children with this gene can easily develop bone cancer. HME is also another rare condition which increases the risk of developing Chondrosarcoma later in live. Thus, one must be very careful of these genetic factors.