Bone cancer care at Mayo Clinic
Your Mayo Clinic care team
Mayo Clinic orthopedic specialists work together as a multidisciplinary team with oncologists, microvascular surgeons, plastic surgeons and other specialists to evaluate and treat each individual bone cancer. This means that you're not getting just one opinion. You benefit from the knowledge and experience of each specialist on the multidisciplinary team.
Close collaboration enables your medical team to have your test results available quickly and then appropriately schedule your appointments across a team of specialists.
Seeking new knowledge and more-effective treatments for bone cancer, Mayo Clinic doctors continually study new diagnostic and treatment options and test them through clinical trials. Through this wide research network, you have direct access to the expertise of Mayo Clinic clinician-researchers.
Advanced diagnosis and treatment
With state-of-the-art research and laboratory facilities, the specialists on the bone cancer team at Mayo Clinic use sophisticated imaging tests and comprehensive physical examinations to obtain a detailed, accurate diagnosis.
Mayo Clinic's team of bone cancer experts has ready access to the latest technology to improve care for people with bone cancer. Mayo Clinic specialists use advanced techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic radiosurgery and radiofrequency ablation for cancer.
Mayo Clinic also offers an advanced proton beam therapy program. In proton therapy, a high dose of radiation can be delivered to the cancer while minimizing the dose to nearby healthy tissues.
Specialists in pediatric care
A special strength of Mayo Clinic's bone cancer program is treating childhood bone cancer. The pediatric oncologists, orthopedic doctors and other specialists at Mayo Clinic are adept at diagnosing and treating infants and children with bone cancer and lead national trials in this field.
Some chemotherapy and radiation treatments increase the risk of impaired fertility. As part of the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, the Fertility Preservation Program staff evaluates children with cancer whose disease and treatment could affect future fertility. Fertility preservation services are also available for adults.
Innovative surgical procedures
Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeons employ the most advanced surgical options for limb reconstruction. For bone cancers near the knee, a rotationplasty may be an option. In this surgery, the surgeon removes the cancer and surrounding area, including the knee joint. The foot and ankle are then rotated and put backward on the part of the leg that remains above the knee. The ankle then works as a knee.
A prosthesis is used for the lower leg and foot. This surgery is sometimes a good option for children who are still growing. It allows them to take part in sports and physical activities.
Older adults may be candidates to have the entire bone replaced with a prosthetic device made of metal and hard plastic. In children, a special prosthesis can be used that can be expanded as the child grows. When needed, 3D printers are used to plan complex operations and reconstructions.
Expertise and rankings
Each Mayo Clinic campus has an experienced team of physicians who specialize in caring for people with bone cancers. These teams involve surgeons, medical oncologists, pediatric oncologists, radiation oncologists and pathologists.
Comprehensive cancer center
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center meets the strict standards for a U.S. National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center. These standards recognize scientific excellence and a multispecialty approach focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Collaboration with other experts
Mayo Clinic is a member of the Children's Oncology Group, a national group of institutions dedicated to children's cancer research, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. You or your child can receive coordinated diagnosis and treatment based on the latest research.
Nationally recognized expertise
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2023–2024 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.
Learn more about Mayo Clinic's oncology and orthopedic surgery departments' expertise and rankings.
Locations, travel and lodging
Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.
For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:
Costs and insurance
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.
In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.
Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.