Osteoblastoma

Also known as: giant osteoid osteoma.

What is osteoblastoma?

An osteoblastoma is a rare non-cancerous tumor of bone that affects teenage boys more often than girls and most often occurs in the lower spine. Non-cancerous tumors don’t spread to other parts of the body, but can invade surrounding tissue. Osteoblastomas can also be found in the long bones of the arm & legs, and hands and feet.

What causes osteoblastoma? 

It’s unclear what causes osteoblastoma.

What are the symptoms of osteoblastoma?

Osteoblastomas tend to be slow growing. As the tumor grows, it can initially lead to mild swelling and pain.
Over time, if the tumor is in the spine, symptoms may include:
  • Back pain
  • Nerve pain
  • Scoliosis (curvature of the spine)
  • Muscle weakness
  • Muscle spasms
 

What are osteoblastoma care options? 

Surgical removal is the treatment of choice; rarely however because of a tumor’s position radiation and/or chemotherapy may be recommended.

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: January 12, 2022 04:34 PM