- Underlying bone is weakened, typically by cancer or infection
- Primary bone cancer (osteoscarcoma)
- Metastatic cancer to bone (e.g. prostate, breast, lung, renal, thyroid, melanoma)
- Multiple myeloma. plasmacytoma
- Leukemia, lymphoma
- Chronic infection affecting bone, occurring by direct extension or systemic spread (e.g. chronic bacterial osteomyelitis, TB, other)
- Known cancer, w/potential to metastasize to bone
- Immuncompromised or systemically ill w/infxn that could seed bone or enter via direct extension
- Acute pain and fracture w/minimal or less than expected force
- May also have progressive symptoms of pain, fever, wt loss, etc related to underlying process (e.g. cancer, infxn)