Musculoskeletal Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Program

At Luskin Orthopedic Institute for Children (LuskinOIC), your child will receive bone and soft tissue tumor treatment from award-winning doctors in pediatric orthopedics.

Signs and Symptoms

Tumors are abnormal masses or lumps. They form when cells divide out of control, and spread excessively throughout the body. Bone tumors can be found in any bone in the body, and in any part of the bone — from the surface down to the bone marrow.

Symptoms can vary, however common signs include:

• A lump or mass
• Dull achy pain in a bone that may get worse at night
• Fever or night sweats
• Stiffness, swelling or tenderness around a bone or joint
• Weak bones, leading to fractures
• Fatigue
• Weight loss

Most bone tumors are benign (non-cancerous), but some may be malignant (cancerous).

Treatment and Recovery

Getting an accurate diagnosis for a bone tumor is very important because other conditions can resemble tumors. Your child’s doctor will examine the tumor and may request X-rays to help identify and diagnose the tumor. They will also conduct a biopsy — a procedure that removes a bit of the tumor — to determine whether it’s benign or malignant.

Treatment for bone and soft tissue tumors can range from a simple surgical excision of the mass to a highly coordinated combination of immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. 

Common Types

Benign Tumors

Although benign tumors are usually not life-threatening, they can still cause problems. Benign tumors that are still growing can destroy healthy tissue and make it easier for bones to fracture.

There are also several benign conditions that can resemble tumors—like a non-ossifying fibroma (NOF), which is a bundle of fibrous tissue that usually appears in the leg. The common types of benign bone tumors, and some conditions grouped with tumors, include:

• Non-ossifying Fibroma and Fibrous Dysplasia. These are benign tumors in which cells that were intended to form bone turned into fibrous tissue instead. Learn More
• Giant Cell Tumor. This is a rare, aggressive tumor that grows in the ends of bones and can rapidly destroy the mechanical integrity of the bone. Learn More
• Aneurysmal Bone Cyst. A cystic tumor of bone that is filled with blood and often aggressively expands the walls of bone. Learn More
• Unicameral Bone Cyst (UBC). A common tumor in children that most commonly is found in the humerus bone of the arm that is filled with cystic fluid. Learn More
• Enchondroma. A benign tumor of cartilage cells that are “misplaced” in the inside of a bone. Learn More
• Osteoid Osteoma. A small, benign bone tumor that produces an enormous amount of prostaglandins, osteoid osteomas are extremely painful despite their small size. Learn More
• Osteochondroma. A very common benign overgrowth of bone and cartilage that presents as a “bony bump.” Learn More
• Chondroblastoma. An aggressive and painful tumor that grows at the ends of bones, near the joint. Learn More

Malignant Tumors

Malignant bone tumors can consist of two types of cancer: primary or secondary. Primary bone cancers begin in the bone, while secondary cancers begin somewhere else in the body and spread to the bone. Primary bone cancers are rare—they account for about 3 to 7 percent of all childhood cancers. The 2 most commonly found in children are:

• Osteosarcoma. This is the most common bone cancer in teenagers. It usually develops in areas where bones grow rapidly, like at the end of long bones in the arms or legs. It’s most often found in the bones around the knee. Learn More
• Ewing Sarcoma. This is slightly less common, and it mostly affects young teenagers. It generally begins in the ribs, shoulder blades, pelvic (hip) bones or the long bones in the arms or upper legs. Learn More

Other Conditions

• Neurofibromatosis (NF). This is a disease that affects the growth of nervous tissue. Tumors grow on the nerve cells on or beneath the skin anywhere in the body. In some cases, these tumors can be disfiguring. Learn More

Our Experts in Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors

Anthony Scaduto, MD

Nicholas Bernthal, MD

Timothy Schaub, MD