* CT scan    * Chest X-ray    * Blood tests

CT scan
This is a computerised scan using X-rays.  If you have been diagnosed with a bone cancer, you will be asked to have a CT scan of your chest.  This is to see if there are any signs of enlarged lymph nodes or other cancer spread.  Bone cancer does sometimes spread to the lungs.  You may be given an injection of dye called ‘contrast’ before the scan.  This helps to make the scan clearer to read.  
Chest X-ray
If you have not already had a chest X-ray, you may be given one to rule out any spread to the lungs.

Blood tests
You will have general blood tests to check your overall health.  Your blood cell counts will be measured and tests will be done to check your liver and kidneys.

If you have osteosarcoma, your doctor may measure your AP level (alkaline phosphatase).  This chemical is a measure of bone activity.  If you have a bone cancer, then levels of bone cell activity in the affected bone may well be higher than normal.  Not everyone with osteosarcoma has raised AP levels.  But it will be measured to check if it is raised in your case.

After the tests
You may be asked to come back to the hospital when your test results have come through.  Or you may have arranged with your specialist that you will be contacted at home.  The results are bound to take a little time.  Bone biopsies take longer than most biopsies to process, so if you have to wait a while, it doesn't mean that anything has gone wrong.  You are bound to feel anxious during this time, but try not to worry too much.  It may help if you ask your specialist how long the results are likely to take so that you have some idea of how long you will have to wait. 

BONE CANCER TREATMENTS

Treatments for bone cancer include:

• Surgery aims to remove the cancer while leaving as much of the bone behind as possible. The extent of surgery necessary depends on the size and location of the cancer. Doctors may also use surgery to treat primary bone cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

• Chemotherapy
  Doctors often use a combination of chemotherapy drugs to treat bone cancer. In recent years chemotherapy has become an important treatment because the cancer usually responds well to it. Doctors generally give chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the cancer, making it easier to remove. People may also receive chemotherapy after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

• Radiotherapy
  Doctors do not often use radiotherapy used to treat bone cancer, as most types are not very sensitive to radiotherapy.

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