Osteosarcoma: What Is It And What Treatments Are Indicated?
Osteosarcoma is bone cancer that develops from cells responsible for bone formation (called osteoblasts). It is the most common type of bone cancer.
It represents about 3% of cancers that occur in childhood, so it is a rare neoplasm. It typically affects long bones, such as those in the legs, but can affect any bone. In most cases, osteosarcoma appears at a young age, but it can also occur at a later stage in the life cycle.
Treatment and prognosis vary greatly depending on extent, location, and stage of development. Metastases to other organs are common and can be fatal.
In this article we explain everything you need to know about the course and possible treatments of osteosarcoma.
What is osteosarcoma?
It is a malignant tumor that develops from the cells that form the bones, or osteoblasts. These are responsible for the growth and continuous renewal of the bones.
For this reason, osteosarcoma mainly affects adolescents and children, a vital period during which the aforementioned cells exhibit their greatest activity.
The part of the body most often affected by osteosarcoma is the knee. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent it. It can only be treated if diagnosed early, when it has not yet caused severe damage to the area or developed metastases.
What symptoms does it cause?
Osteosarcoma presents with nonspecific symptoms that can be confused with other health problems, such as a sports injury. For this reason it is important to always consult your doctor to clarify any doubts.
Initially, osteosarcoma causes pain in a bone or joint. There may be swelling near a bone. In addition, it can sometimes cause a spontaneous injury or a bone fracture.
This cancer typically affects the leg or arm, where the longest bones are located. If it causes pain, this can be made worse by exercise.
The pain can occur at night and prevent the person from sleeping. In the case of children, the most obvious sign is that they begin to limp or have difficulty walking.
What are the risk factors for osteosarcoma?
The causes of osteosarcoma are still unknown. However, some factors have been identified that increase the risk of suffering from it. Some of them are:
- Being a male teenager.
- Suffering from certain genetic diseases, such as hereditary retinoblastoma (cancer of the retina) or Li-Fraumeni syndrome (genetic mutation).
- Having received radiotherapy treatment for another tumor.
How is it diagnosed and what is the treatment?
To diagnose osteosarcoma, doctors must thoroughly study the patient’s medical history and perform a physical examination. Additionally, complementary examinations, such as x-rays or CT scans, are usually needed.
In some cases, a biopsy is done so that the tumor can be analyzed in the laboratory. This analysis will determine the stage of development in order to establish the treatment. At the same time, other tests will be done to check whether the tumor has metastasized or not.
Treatment of osteosarcoma is complex and often requires surgery. The aim is to eliminate all cancer cells and avoid disability of the affected area as much as possible. In the worst cases, amputation of the limb is necessary.
Chemotherapy is also used. Conversely, radiation therapy does not appear to be effective for this type of cancer. Numerous clinical trials and studies are currently underway to develop a more effective treatment of osteosarcoma.
In conclusion
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer and usually affects young people. Symptoms are very nonspecific, so it’s important to pay attention to any pain or injury and see your doctor.
