Bone cancer signs and symptoms as Len Goodman dies with the condition
Former Strictly Come Dancing head judge Len Goodman has died while suffering from bone cancer, aged 78.
Goodman appeared on the BBC1 show for 12 years – his final appearance was on the 2016 Christmas special. The former dancer died at a hospice in Kent on Saturday evening surrounded by his family, his agent said.
Bone cancer is relatively rare in the UK, with just 550 new cases on average each year, accounting for less than 1% of all new cancer cases.
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Also known as bone sarcoma, primary bone cancer starts in the cells of the bones and is separate to secondary bone cancer which spreads to the bones after starting in another part of the body.
According to Cancer Research UK, incident rates are highest among those aged 75 to 79, and there is a 55% survival rate.
Types of bone cancer
There are three main types of primary bone cancer:
Osteosarcoma: This is the most common type of bone cancer, which mostly affects young adults and children under 20. This type of cancer often starts at the end of long bones where new bone tissue forms as a child or young adult grows.
Ewing sarcoma: This is a rare type of cancer that affects mainly children and young adults. It affects the bones and the tissue around the bones.
Chondrosarcoma: This type of cancer makes up 37% of all bone sarcoma diagnoses and mostly affects adults over the age of 40. This develops in the cartilage cells, most commonly in the thigh, pelvis, or upper arm bones.
Rarer types of bone cancer include spindle cell sarcoma, which is often found in leg bones, and chordoma, which can start in the spine.
Signs and symptoms of bone cancer
The most common symptoms of bone cancer include:
Persistent bone pain
Swelling over a bone
Weak bones that easily break
A lump over a bone
Problems moving around such as walking with a limp
Less common symptoms of bone cancer include:
Feeling fatigued
A high temperature
Losing weight when you’re not trying to
As bone cancer is rare, it’s likely that something else could be causing these issues but the NHS recommends always getting yourself checked out by a GP if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms.
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Potential causes of bone cancer
For most cases of bone cancer, the cause is unknown, but the NHS says people are more at risk of developing bone cancer if they have had previous exposure to radiation during radiotherapy, have a condition called Paget's disease of the bone, or have a rare genetic condition called Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
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Bone cancer treatments
Treatment for bone cancer will depend on the type of bone cancer someone has, along with how far it has spread, but it can include a mix of surgery including amputation if necessary, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
Watch: Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman dies
