Osteosarcoma Symptoms

Osteosarcoma is a common type of bone cancer, that mostly affects the children and the teenagers. The cancer affects the bone cells, known as osteoblasts, from where bones develop. The cancer is more commonly found to affect the children under the age of 15, who are experiencing rapid growth and development due to intense bone growth. Generally, the disease is more common in young or teenage boys than the girls. Osteosarcoma can eventually spread or metastasize to other parts of the skeletal system and lungs, if not diagnosed and treated on time. Hence, a proper knowledge about its symptoms is crucial for identifying this type of bone cancer in the early stage. So, here is a brief discussion about the causes and symptoms of osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma Causes

Despite a large number of researches and studies carried out on osteosarcoma, the exact causes of the disease are not known properly. It is believed that, it can be triggered by an overactivity of the bone cells due to an error in their DNA. As a result, the immature bone cells become malignant, and do not develop into mature bones. Such a genetic mutation can be brought about by the exposure to radiation. Therefore, children that have received radiation therapy as a part of cancer treatment, are considered to have increased risk for developing osteosarcoma. Even exposure to radiation emitted from elements like, radium and fluoride is also considered as a risk factor for this type of cancer. Apart from these, osteosarcoma in a few cases, has been observed to run in families and found to have an association with the disease, retinoblastoma.

Osteosarcoma Symptoms

It is more commonly found to affect the bones of the shin, upper arm and thigh. The usual symptoms are, pain and swelling, though the symptoms of the condition can vary to an extent, depending on the location or the bone that is affected. The most commonly observed symptoms are:

• Pain in the affected bones and joints
• Swelling and tenderness of the affected area
• Bone or joint stiffness
• Bone fracture
• Fever
• Excessive fatigue or tiredness
• Unexplained weight loss
• Sometimes, anemia

Diagnosis and Treatment for Osteosarcoma

Diagnosis of this disease begins with a detailed study of the patient's medical history, physical examinations, X-ray of the bones and MRI of the affected area. Often bone scan, blood tests, CT scan, and bone biopsy are also carried out to make a confirmed diagnosis, and to see if the cancer has spread to other part of the body. It is usually, treated with chemotherapy and surgical resection. The most commonly used chemotherapy drugs for treating this cancer are, cisplatin, doxorubicin, carboplatin, methotrexate and ifosfamide. These medications are used to either shrink or destroy the cancerous bone cells. Chemotherapy is followed by surgery to remove the tumors or cancerous cells. The most commonly performed surgical procedures are, limb-salvage surgery or amputation. Amputation is carried out only when the cancer spreads to the surrounding blood vessels and nerves.

Presently, researches are going on to develop more treatment options for this bone cancer. Prognosis of this medical condition primarily depends on the stage at which it is detected, and whether the tumor is localized or metastatic. If detected in the early stage, the prognosis is quite good. Identification of the symptoms is of crucial importance to ensure early diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition. Therefore, any kind of pain and swelling of the bones and joints should be evaluated on time, to prevent the complications that can arise from osteosarcoma.