Diagnosis of Sarcomas.shtml" target="_blank" title="Bone Sarcomas">Bone Sarcomas
A diagnosis of bone sarcoma usually starts with a visit to your GP who will refer you for an x-ray. If a bone sarcoma is suspected following the results of the x-ray your GP will refer you to a specialist bone sarcoma centre. A specialist doctor will diagnose sarcoma through a series of tests. These may include:

Physical examination

A scan – taking pictures of the inside of the body using ultrasound, x-ray, CT, EUS, PET or MRI

A biopsy – taking and testing a tissue sample

A diagnosis of bone sarcoma should be confirmed by a specialist sarcoma pathologist who will identify the type of sarcoma and the stage and grade of the tumour. Identifying the stage and grade of a cancer means your doctor can advise on the best course of treatment for you. It also describes the cancer in a common language which is useful when your doctor is discussing your case with other doctors or health professionals. The stage of a cancer is measured by how much it has grown or spread which can be seen on the results of your tests and scans. The results from a biopsy can tell the grade of the cancer.