Osteosarcoma

A malignant tumour of bone cells.

Malignant bone tumor, most common in children and young adults in whom it often affects the femur, but also occurring in older adults and affecting other body sites. Pain and swelling typically mark the tumor site. Treatment is by surgery, usually amputation of die limb, followed by chemotherapy.

Malignant bone tumor that occurs predominantly in adolescents and is usually located at the metaphysis of the distal femur, proximal tibia, or proximal humerus.

A sarcoma or primary malignant tissue tumor in the bone. Found primarily in adolescents, bone tumors may be painful and weaken the bone tissue, making it vulnerable to fracture under slight pressure.

A malignant bone tumor. It is usually seen in children and adolescents but can occur in adults of all ages, often in association with Paget ‘s disease of bone. Osteosarcomas can also occur in soft tissue in elderly patients. In children the usual site for the tumor is the leg, particularly the femur. Secondary growths (metastases) are common, most frequently in the lungs (though other sites, such as the liver, may also be involved). The symptoms are usually pain and swelling at the site of the tumor and there is often a history of preceding trauma, although it is doubtful whether this contributes to the cause. Treatment of disease localized to the primary site is by amputation of the limb. Many centers also give postoperative drug therapy in an attempt to kill any residual microscopic tumor that might have already spread. Drugs used include doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and methotrexate.

Osteosarcoma, or osteogenic sarcoma, is the most common, and most malignant, tumour of bone. It occurs predominantly in older children and young adults; the most common site is at the ends of the long bones of the body i.e. the femur, tibia and humerus. Treatment is by chemotherapy and surgical reconstruction or amputation of the affected limb. The five-year survival rate is over 70 per cent.

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor capable of metastasizing to the lungs and occasionally to other regions. Typically found in individuals aged ten to 25, osteosarcoma predominantly arises in a long bone of the arm or leg, frequently near the knee. In older individuals, it can appear as a rare complication of Paget’s disease or past radiotherapy treatment. The presence of the tumor close to the surface of the bone results in pain and swelling in the affected area.

Historically, amputation of the afflicted limb was an unavoidable measure. Nevertheless, advancements have led to enhanced prospects through a combination of chemotherapy and surgical procedures involving the substitution of the diseased bone with a tailor-made prosthesis.