Screening for bone cancer

There is no national screening programme for primary bone cancer in the UK. But people who are at higher risk of developing primary bone cancer have regular checks. This includes people with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

What is cancer screening?

Screening means testing people for early stages of a disease. This is before they have any symptoms. For screening to be useful the tests:

• need to be reliable at picking up cancers
• overall must do more good than harm to people taking part
• must be something that people are willing to do

Screening tests are not perfect and have some risks. The screening programme should also be good value for money for the NHS.

Why there isn’t a screening programme for primary bone cancer in the UK?

There is no national screening programme for primary bone caner in the UK at the moment because:

• doctors wouldn't find many cancers because it's very rare. So this would mean many people would have unnecessary tests
• the benefits don't outweigh the costs

With rare cancers, it is more cost effective to screen people who are thought to be at a higher risk. Talk to your GP if you think you are at a higher than average risk of developing primary bone cancer. If your doctor agrees that you are at a higher risk, they may be able to give you regular check ups. 

Screening for people at high risk

It is helpful to screen people who are at higher risk of primary bone cancer. This includes people with particular bone diseases or genetic conditions that increases the risk of primary bone cancer. Doctors are aware of these conditions.

If you are at higher risk of developing primary bone cancer, your specialist will see you in clinic and you are likely to have regular x-rays or scans. People with a genetic condition called Li-Fraumeni syndrome have regular screening for cancers.