The exact cause of most osteosarcomas is not known. But we do know that certain risk factors are linked to this disease. A risk factor is something that affects a person's chance of getting a disease. Some risk factors, such as smoking, can be controlled. Others, like a person's age or race, can't be changed.

Risk factors that can be controlled such as smoking or diet (lifestyle risk factors) have little or no bearing on childhood cancers.

Risk factors for osteosarcoma

Age and height: The risk of osteosarcoma is highest during the teenage "growth spurts." Children with osteosarcoma are usually tall for their age. There may be a link between rapid bone growth and the risk of tumors forming.

Radiation to bones: Young people who were treated with radiation for an earlier cancer have a higher risk of getting osteosarcoma later. But there is little, if any danger from normal x-rays.

Certain bone diseases: Children and teenagers with certain non-cancer bone diseases have an increased risk of getting osteosarcoma later, usually as an adult. Some of these diseases include Paget disease of bone and multiple hereditary osteochondromas.

Certain cancer syndromes: Children with certain rare, inherited cancer syndromes have an increased risk of getting osteosarcoma. One of these syndromes is Li-Fraumeni syndrome. When children with retinoblastoma (a rare eye cancer) are treated with radiation it raises the chance of osteosarcoma in the bones of the skull.

It is important to remember that most people with osteosarcoma do not have any known risk factors. The cause of their cancer remains unknown.

Last Medical Review: 03/20/2007
Last Revised: 03/20/2007