Surgery for primary bone cancer

There have been major improvements in surgery for bone cancer over the past few years. In the past, it was often necessary to remove (amputate) the limb if cancer was found. Now, however, it is often possible just to remove the affected part of the bone and replace it with a specially designed metal fitting (endoprosthesis) or a bone graft (bone from another part of the body). If the cancer affects a bone in or near a joint the whole joint can be replaced with an artificial one.

These operations, sometimes called limb-sparing surgery|, have made it possible for many people to avoid amputation. They are only carried out in specialist hospitals and your doctor should refer you to one of these hospitals to see if such an operation would be possible in your case. It is important to realise that it is not always possible to avoid an amputation.

The type of surgery you have will depend on a number of factors. Your surgeon will discuss the different types of surgery with you in detail before any decision is made about your treatment.