Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor that usually develops during the period of rapid growth, which occurs in adolescence as a teenager matures into an adult.
Causes, Incidents, and Risk Factors For Neuroblastoma
Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor in youth. The average age at diagnosis is 15. Boys and girls have a similar incidence of this tumor until late adolescence, at which time boys are more commonly affected.
The cause is not known. In some cases, osteosarcoma runs in families and at least one gene has been linked to increased risk. This gene is also associated with familial retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eye which occurs in children and it appears to be a defective tumor inhibitor gene.
Osteosarcoma tends to occur in the bones of the thigh (distal end), upper arm (proximal end), and shin (proximal end). This cancer occurs most commonly in larger bones and in the area of bone with fastest growth rate. Osteosarcoma can occur in any bone, however.
The most common symptom initially is pain. As the tumor grows, there may be visible swelling and limitation of motion. Tumors in the legs cause limping, while those in the arms cause pain on lifting. Swelling over the tumor may be warm and slightly reddened.
Treatment Methods For Osteosarcoma
Prior to surgery for osteosarcoma, chemotherapy is given. This is strong medication, injected intravenously (into the vein) to make the tumor shrink. Surgery is then used to remove any remaining tumor, while attempting to spare the affected limb. Chemotherapy for osteosarcoma also treats any cancer cells which may have spread to other parts of the body.
Limb-saving surgery is usually possible, but more radical surgery (such as amputation) may be necessary for a permanent cure.
Learn more about osteosarcoma at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University. As a national leader in cancer care & research and ranked among the best treatment facilities in the country, it is one of only 38 cancer centers in the nation designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. NCI designation is an assurance of excellent care and comprehensive treatment options, including access to the latest clinical trials.
Osteosarcoma
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