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Macmillan and Cancerbackup merged in 2008. Together we provide free, high quality information for people affected by cancer through our publications, website and phone service. Find out more|.
Find out how we produce our information|
Secondary cancer in the bone is the result of cancer cells spreading to the bone from a primary tumour.
The place where a cancer starts in the body is known as the primary tumour. A malignant (cancerous) tumour is made up of millions of cancer cells. Some of these cells may break away from the primary cancer and be carried in the bloodstream to another part of the body. The cancer cells may settle in that part of the body and then form a new tumour. If this happens it’s called a secondary cancer or a metastasis.
Sometimes only one area of bone is affected, but in some people a number of bone secondaries develop, often in different bones in the body. Not all the secondaries will cause symptoms| or problems.
Although any type of cancer can spread to the bone, the most common types are cancers of the breast|, prostate|, lung|, thyroid| and kidney|. People who develop secondary cancer in the bone usually know that they have a primary cancer, although occasionally a secondary bone cancer is found before a primary cancer is diagnosed. If the primary cancer can’t be found it is called an unknown primary tumour|.
Secondary cancer in the bone is not the same as primary bone cancer, where cancer begins in the bone itself. Primary bone cancer is a completely different type of cancer with very different treatments. We have more information about primary bone cancer.|
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If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan.