Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that begins in the bone-forming cells. Osteosarcoma can cause the sufferer to be immobile, limp, and even fracture for no apparent reason.
Osteosarcoma is a type of soft tissue sarcoma. This cancer can affect any bone, but is more common in large, fast-growing bones, such as the femur, shinbone, and upper arm bone.
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children. Based on research, osteosarcoma often attacks boys, especially at the age of 15 years. Even so, osteosarcoma is also quite common in people older than 60 years.
Causes of Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma occurs when the DNA in bone-forming cells undergoes mutations or changes. This mutation causes bone-forming cells to continue to form new bone even when it's not needed.
The new bone then develops into a tumor that invades and destroys healthy body tissue, then spreads to other parts of the body.
It is not yet known what causes the mutation in these bone-forming cells. However, there are several factors that are known to increase a person's risk of developing osteosarcoma, namely:
- Have you ever had treatment with radiotherapy?
- Have a bone disorder, such as Paget's disease or fibrous dysplasia
- Have a genetic disorder, including retinoblastoma, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Bloom syndrome, Werner syndrome, or Rothmund-Thomson syndrome.
Symptoms of Osteosarcoma
Symptoms of osteosarcoma depend on the location of the bone affected by the tumor. Following are some of the signs and symptoms:
- Limited body movement
- Lame, if the tumor is in the leg
- Pain when lifting something, if the tumor is in the hand
- Cracks or fractures that can occur without cause
- Pain, swelling, and redness of the skin in the area where the tumor grows
When to go to the doctor
Immediately see a doctor if you or your child experience the signs and symptoms above. Examination is necessary because the symptoms and signs of osteosarcoma can be similar to those of other conditions, such as sports injuries.
If you or your child has recently been treated for osteosarcoma, keep checking with your doctor regularly. This aims to prevent the possibility of cancer growing again.
Diagnosis of Osteosarcoma
To determine whether a patient has osteosarcoma or not, initially the doctor will ask about the patient's symptoms, medical history, and medication history. After that, the doctor will perform a physical examination in the area suspected of having cancer.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will perform additional examinations, such as:
- Scans with ultrasound, X-rays, CT scans, PET scans or MRIs, to see the presence of cancer and detect whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
- Tissue sampling (biopsy) from a swollen or diseased body part, to examine whether the tissue is cancerous or not
Osteosarcoma Treatment
Treatment of osteosarcoma is done through surgery and chemotherapy. In some cases, doctors may also perform radiotherapy procedures. Here's the explanation:
Operation
Surgery aims to remove the entire cancer. Depending on the size of the tumor and its location, doctors may perform surgery to remove only the cancer or remove muscle and other tissues affected by the cancer.
In some cases, the doctor will remove the bone and joint or even perform an amputation. If this procedure is performed, the patient will be given a prosthesis (an artificial leg or arm) to replace the function of the amputated organ.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the administration of two or more drugs to kill cancer cells. Drugs given can be in the form of pills, infusions, or a combination of both.
Chemotherapy may be given before surgery to shrink cancer cells so they are easier to remove. The length of chemotherapy that patients need to undergo depends on the extent of the spread of the osteosarcoma. For osteosarcoma that has not spread widely, doctors may recommend chemotherapy several months before surgery.
Chemotherapy after surgery is done to kill any cancer that may still be left.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a therapy that uses X-rays or proton beams to kill cancer cells. This therapy is done by directing high-level radiation beams to the part of the body where the osteosarcoma is located.
Radiotherapy is performed on patients who cannot undergo surgery or if there are still cancer cells remaining.
Complications of Osteosarcoma
There are several complications that can occur, both due to osteosarcoma itself and due to the effects of treatment. Some of these complications are:
- Cancer that has spread to other bones and lungs
- Chemotherapy side effects, such as hair loss, nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty adapting to using prosthetics
Osteosarcoma Prevention
Until now, there is no known way to prevent osteosarcoma. However, with proper treatment, the chances of osteosarcoma patients to recover will be quite large.
If you have recently undergone treatment for osteosarcoma, do regular checkups with your doctor to prevent the possibility of osteosarcoma recurring.