Bone Sarcoma

Signs and Symptoms

Tumors that develop in the bones are relatively rare, with about 2,500 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States. The most common type of bone tumor is bone sarcoma or osteosarcoma that develops in growing bones. Bone tumors may be benign, which are more common, or cancerous. Both types may grow and compress healthy bone tissue and absorb or replace it with abnormal tissue. Benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body and rarely are life threatening.

Scientists are not sure what causes bone tumors, but they tend to occur more frequently in adolescents and young adults. A small number of bone tumors are due to heredity. For example, children with hereditary retinoblastoma, an uncommon cancer of the eye, are at a higher risk of developing osteosarcoma.

Symptoms of bone or osteosarcoma include:

• Bone pain
• Tenderness, swelling or redness at the site of the bone pain
• A bone fracture after a routine movement, such as throwing a ball

Diagnosis

Diagnostic tests that may be performed on your child to confirm he or she has osteosarcoma may include:

• X-ray of the affected area
• CT scan or computerized axial tomography scan of the affected area
• Blood tests including tests to measure increases in alkaline phosphatase and lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), which indicate damage or diseased tissue
• CT of the chest to look for lung metastases
• Biopsy at the time of surgery
• Bone scan to look for any spreading of the tumor

Treatment

Osteosarcoma is usually treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Before surgery, chemotherapy may be given to help shrink the tumor and avoid amputation. Sometimes, more extensive surgery is necessary to completely eliminate or cure the cancer.