Risk

Risk of bone cancer
A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, exposing skin to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer. Smoking is a risk factor for cancers of the lung, mouth, larynx, bladder, kidney, and several other organs. But having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get the disease. Most people with bone cancers do not have any apparent risk factors.

Genetic disorders

A very small number of bone cancers (especially osteosarcomas) appear to be hereditary.

Osteosarcoma

Children with certain rare inherited syndromes have an increased risk of developing osteosarcoma.

1. The Li-Fraumeni syndrome makes people much more likely to develop several types of cancer, including breast cancer, brain cancer, osteosarcoma, and other types of sarcoma. Most of those cases are caused by a mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene, but some are caused by mutations in the gene CHEK2.
2. Another syndrome that includes bone cancer is the Rothmund-Thompson syndrome. Children with this syndrome are short, have skeletal problems, and rashes. They also are more likely to develop osteosarcoma. This syndrome is caused by abnormal changes in the gene REQL4.
3. Retinoblastoma is a rare eye cancer of children that can be hereditary. The inherited form of retinoblastoma is caused by a mutation (abnormal copy) of the RB1 gene. Those with this mutation also have an increased risk of developing bone or soft tissue sarcomas. Also, if radiation therapy is used to treat the retinoblastoma, the risk of osteosarcoma in the bones around the eye is even higher.

Finally, there are families with several members that have developed osteosarcoma without inherited changes in any of the known genes. The gene defects that may cause cancers in these families haven't been discovered yet.