Bone Cancer in Children

When the cells in the bone begin to change and there is uncontrolled growth of bones, it forms a mass. This mass of cells that do not die is called a tumor. Bone cancer is a form of cancer. The primary bone cancer is that which begins at the bone. Primary bone cancer is not as common as bone cancer that occurs due to metastasis from cancer of the breast, lung or prostate. This article will cover some information on bone cancer in children.

There are about 400 children and adolescents in US who suffer from bone cancer. Bone cancer is the most common of the types of bone cancer in children. The others among the types of bone cancer in children are as follows:

• Osteosarcoma: This is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents. It develops at the end of the bone in the knee, upper arm and upper leg bones. It usually occurs between 10 to 20 year of age and is more common in males than females.
• Ewing's Sarcoma: This is also a primary type of bone cancer that develops in the immature nerve tissue in the middle portion of the bones. The bones of pelvic, upper legs, ribs and arms are mostly affected. This is a common bone cancer in children and young adults.

Symptoms of Bone Cancer in Children
Bone cancer in children symptoms are different, depending on the size and location of the tumor. There are a few common signs of bone cancer in children like pain. The other bone cancer in children signs include:

• Continued and unexplained weight loss.
• The child suffers from headaches and vomiting early in the morning.
• There is increased swelling or persistent pain in bones, joints, back or legs of the child.
• You may feel a lump or mass in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis or armpits of the child.
• The child may develop excessive rash, bruising or even bleeding.
• The child may fall prey to infections.
• There may be a whitish color just behind his eye pupil.
• The child may suffer from persistent nausea with or without vomiting.
• The child may feel tired constantly and look really pale
• The child's vision changes suddenly and persistently
• There may be persistent or recurrent fevers of unknown origin, plaguing the child

Osteosarcoma develops in a new tissue of growing bones. Children with osteosarcoma may feel pain in the bone or joint around the area of growing cancer. This pain mostly awakens the child from sleep. You may feel a lump or swelling in the area of pain. In case of leg bone cancer in children, the child may limp when walking. The arm or leg muscle with osteosarcoma may look smaller than the muscles in the opposite arm or leg. The bone in which the tumor develops causes fracture in the bone. You can read more on bone cancer symptoms.

In case of Ewing sarcoma, the other type of bone cancer in children, there is pain at the area of developing tumor. The child may suffer from paralysis or incontinence, if the tumor develops in the spinal area. The child may show symptoms of nerve compression like numbness, tingling, etc. The signs of Ewing's sarcoma are similar to many other medical conditions. Therefore, make sure you visit a doctor for further diagnosis.

Diagnosis of Bone Cancer in Children
The doctor may take a full medical history of the child and refer to an orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon will conduct a physical examination of the child. He may check for swellings and tenderness of the bones. Blood tests may be suggested for alkaline phosphatase. If there is a large amount of alkaline phosphatase in the blood, it may indicate bone cancer in children. If primary bone cancer in children is indicated, the doctor may ask the parents to take the child to a specialist hospital or bone tumor center for further diagnosis and treatment.

The test that may be conducted for diagnosing bone cancer are as follows:

• Bone X-rays
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan
• Bone Scan
• Core Needle Biopsy
• Open Biopsy

Bone Cancer in Children - Treatment
The treatment of bone cancer in children depends on the type of bone cancer, how far the cancer has spread, the age of the child and general health condition. Cancer specialists and surgeons, who are experts in these rare types of bone cancer in children take over the case. There are basically three types of treatment for bone cancer:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy

After the Treatment of Bone Cancer in Children
3 out of 4 people with oseteosarcoma are cured, only if the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. Mostly, children are treated with limb-sparing surgery and the arm or leg continues to be used well by the children.

The child may be advised some exercises and physiotherapy to make the limbs stronger. This may continue for several months after the surgery. If amputation becomes necessary, the child may be taken into intense rehabilitation program for a longer time. The doctor may suggest many prosthetic treatments for the child, that may help in movement and independence.

After the chemotherapy sessions are completed, the child will need to see the bone cancer specialist for several years regularly. The child will be required to taken for regular tests like CT scan of the lungs, bone scans and X-rays. This will help detect if a tumor returns. X-rays will also help determine that there are no problems with the metal bone inserted.

This was some information on bone cancer in children. After a child is detected with cancer, it turns into a harrowing experience for both the child as well as his parents. In such a case, it is very important for the entire family to support the child and help overcome the cancer. It is easy said than done, yet one should not give up hope and fight bone cancer till end. I hope you find this article on bone cancer in children informative and useful.