Osteosarcomas, which grow very rapidly, can develop in any bone but most often occur along the edge or on the end of one of the fast-growing long bones that support the arms and legs.
About 80 percent of all osteosarcomas develop in the parts of the upper and lower leg nearest the knee (the distal femur or in the proximal tibia).
Parosteal osteosarcomas generally involve both the bone and the membrane that covers it.
Bone x rays usually provide a clear image of osteosarcomas.
Prosthetic devices are not used to lengthen limbs that remain functional after amputation to remove osteosarcomas located on the upper arm.