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.

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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:

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• 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

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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:

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• 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

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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