PEOPLE could mistake a cancer symptom that strikes at night for arthritis.
It may also wrongly be assumed to be growing pains in children.
Bone cancer is diagnosed in 550 people every year in the UK, making it relatively rare.
It can be diagnosed at any age, and there are 355 deaths from the disease each year.
There are several types of bone cancer; chondrosarcoma is the most common in adulthood, and osteosarcoma is the most common in children and young adults.
If you toss and turn in the night with a searing pain in a bone, such as your leg or arm, it may be a warning sign to see your GP.
The main symptoms of bone cancer include a persistent bone pain that is worse at night time. It can also occur in the day.
The NHS says: “The pain can sometimes be wrongly mistaken for arthritis in adults and growing pains in children and teenagers.”
Sometimes bone pain can be misdiagnosed as tendonitis or a sports injury, as well as arthritis, the Bone Cancer Research Trust says.
It warns cancer bone pain may not be relieved by painkillers, can become worse at night, or come and go intermittently.
As primary bone cancers are rare and many GPs may never have seen a case before, patients commonly “visit their GP three or four times before receiving a referral”, the charity says.
There may also be swelling and redness over a bone, which can make movement difficult if the affected bone is near a joint.
It may leave a sufferer less mobile or even with a limp.
These symptoms can all mirror those of arthritis, which causes pain, tenderness, stiffness, inflammation and restricted movement around the joints.
In the UK, more than 10 million people have arthritis or other, similar conditions that affect the joints, making it significantly more common than bone cancer.
Therefore, if you do have symptoms of bone cancer, in most cases it will probably be down to arthritis.
The NHS says: “See your GP if you or your child experiences persistent, severe or worsening bone pain, or if you’re worried you have any of the other symptoms of bone cancer.
“While it’s highly unlikely that your symptoms are caused by cancer, it’s best to be sure by getting a proper diagnosis.”
Other symptoms of bone cancer include a noticeable lump over a bone, or a weak bone that breaks more easily than normal.
Tiredness, fever, weight loss or loss of muscle tone may also be experienced – and these are frequent symptoms in people with any type of cancer.
Bone cancer is treatable and in some cases, curable.
But as with any cancer, effectiveness of treatment can depend on how early it is found, the type of bone cancer and how far it has spread.
Overall, more than half of people with bone cancer survive for more than 10 years, while around 6 in 10 will live for at least 5 years.
Many will be cured completely.
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