osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is one of the most common types of bone cancer in adolescents aged 20 years and under and children. This type of bone cancer usually attacks large portions of bone with the fastest growth rate.

As a result, osteosarcoma usually develops in adolescence because, during this period, bone growth is at its fastest phase. Thus, the risk of osteosarcoma increases during periods of bone growth.

Osteosarcoma is an aggressive cancer, but most patients can be cured by a combination of several treatment methods. In the 0-24 years age group, the risk of osteosarcoma in men is higher than in women.
Symptoms of osteosarcoma

Here are some of the signs and symptoms of osteosarcoma:

• Pain and tenderness in the bones or joints.
• Limited body movements.
• Pain when touched, swollen, or a lump around the bone or at the tip of the bone.
• In limping, if there is a tumor in the leg
• Bone fractures are caused by something abnormal or broken during routine movements.
• Pain when lifting something. This happens if the piece is in the hand.

The bones affected by osteosarcoma are the femur, tibia, and knee. Tumors can also form on the shoulder, hip, or maxilla.

Causes of osteosarcoma

Diseases that cause osteosarcoma development originate from genetic code errors in the child's DNA. This code error causes the cells responsible for bone growth to create osteosarcoma tumors.

In some cases, osteosarcoma can also be caused. Radiation exposure is the only external factor that can cause osteosarcoma.
Diagnosis of osteosarcoma

Diagnosis is the doctor's step to identify a disease or condition that explains the symptoms and signs felt by the patient. To diagnose osteosarcoma, the doctor will proceed as follows:

• Blood test. The function of blood tests is to detect bone cancer from changes in blood levels. A review of blood test results also helps determine whether your disease is osteosarcoma or arthritis.
• Bone scintigraphy. This procedure is done by injecting radioactive material into a vein. Normal bone will be slower to absorb radioactive material than bone problems. Then, X-rays are carried out to see the absorption ratio of the radiation material.
• Scanner. This test serves to provide information about the spread of bone cancer to other organs.
• MRI. The results of this procedure can produce more detailed bone images and information about the spread of bone cancer.
• Positron emission tomography. This test will show the function of organs or body tissues using radioactive material.
• X-ray imaging.
• Biopsy. If the imaging test shows signs of osteosarcoma, the patient must undergo a biopsy. The surgeon takes a sample of tissue or bone from a diseased or swollen part of the body.

Usually, osteosarcoma can be known from the beginning. Children or teenagers will talk about the pain they feel, or maybe because parents see swelling and walking out of balance.
Osteosarcoma treatment

Treatment of osteosarcoma depends on the severity and location of the osteosarcoma. Treatment is also done after the tumor biopsy process is complete. In general, osteosarcoma is treated with several actions, namely:

• Surgery This action is done to remove the tumor.
• Radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Usually both of these actions are performed before surgery to kill cancer cells. The difference is that chemotherapy uses drugs, whereas radiotherapy uses X-rays.
• Bone removal and amputation surgery. This procedure can be done if the cancer has not spread from the bone or if the new cancer has spread to the tissue around the bone. Amputation will be done if the cancer has spread to nerves, blood vessels and skin.

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