Osteogenic Sarcoma

Osteogenic sarcoma commonly arises in boys between the ages of 10 and 25 years. The femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone) are the favourite sites; it also occurs in the humerous (bone of the upper arm).

Symptoms

The first symptom again is a painful bone swelling and again it is stressed that any bone pain in a child lasting longer than one week should be investigated. Before chemotherapy was introduced, 85 per cent of children with an osteosarcoma died within two years of amputation of the limb affected by the cancer.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis is usually made on X-raying the affected limb and then confirmed by biopsy. By the time the diagnosis is made the tumour has already metastasised, usually to the lungs and though they may be undetectable at the time, these microscopic deposits will continue to grow and eventually kill the child, even if the entire cancer is removed by amputation.

Treatment

With the addition of chemotherapy the cure rate, which used to be 15 per cent by amputation alone, has risen, as in the case of most childhood cancers, to roughly 50 per cent.

A child that has lost a limb due to amputation will require intensive rehabilitation This is usually available at all larger centres dealing with childhood cancer.