Bone cancer is a rare form of the disease that begins, as the name suggests, in the bones. It can affect any bones in the body but typically grows in the long bones of the legs or upper arms.
As with any disease, the sooner you spot the signs of bone disease, the sooner you can seek the all-important treatment you need.
However, the symptoms could be easily mistaken for other health problems.
More specifically, they could be identified as a reaction to an injury or, in children, growing pains.
Therefore, if you have any concerns about potential symptoms it is always best to get them checked out by a medical professional.
Speaking to TikTok, Doctor Suraj Kukadia highlighted the most common telltale sign of bone cancer.
The NHS GP and A&E clinician, who is better known as Dr Sooj, warned his more than 59,000 followers to look out for bone pain.
If the pain is “persistent, deep and increasing” it could mean you have cancer, he explained.
He said: “I recently had a patient who was asking me about the symptoms of bone cancer.
“A persistent, deep and increasing pain in one of your bones is a common early symptom.”
Swelling and tenderness in the area is also a warning sign.
“The part of the bone with the cancer can also become swollen and tender,” Dr Sooj said.
The disease can also make the bones more likely to break.
He continued: “And because the bones can be weakened by the cancer they are more prone to getting breaks and fractures.”
Alongside this, the patient might experience some of the more general signs of cancer.
Dr Sooj added: “Some of the more generic signs would be tiredness, weakness, weight loss and even fevers.”
The NHS also warns that a noticeable lump over a bone or problems moving around, such as walking with a limp, are symptoms of the disease.
However, bone cancer is rare with around 550 new cases in the UK every year.
Therefore, your symptoms are more likely to be linked to something else.
“If you or your child are experiencing persistent, severe or worsening bone pain, visit your GP,” the NHS adds.
“While it’s highly unlikely to be the result of bone cancer, it does require further investigation.”
