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Oncology
Osteosarcoma 
Osteosarcoma is the most frequent type of primary bone malignancy and is relatively rare. It typically affects children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 25 and it accounts for about five percent of all childhood cancers. Often the tumor is found in the growing ends of the bones around the knee but it can appear in any bone region. It also can spread from one part of the body to another. Most cases of osteosarcoma are caused by non-inheritable DNA errors in the bone. The most common symptoms of osteosarcoma are pain, tenderness and swelling of a bone or a bone region. If a tumor is large it may also obstruct movement and cause a fracture. However, symptoms will vary from person to person. Other common symptoms: · Increased pain over time · Warmth of the skin over the bone · Fatigue · Weight loss · Anemia In order to diagnosis the disease, your doctor will order blood tests and X-rays. If osteosarcoma is suspected, the doctor may call in an orthopedic oncology surgeon, a specialist in bone diseases. An orthopedic oncologist may perform a biopsy to tell the type and activity of the malignancy. Because osteosarcoma can appear similar to other types of bone cancers, more tests may need to be conducted before a correct diagnosis is given. If the diagnosis is osteosarcoma, your doctor will need to find out if the disease has spread to other parts of the body. If it is found in only one part of the body, this is known as localized osteosarcoma. If it has spread to other parts of the body, it is considered to be metastatic. Osteosarcoma is a recurrent disease meaning that it can come back once it is treated. Often, if it does come back it will appear in the area where it first began. Three main treatments of osteosarcoma are used: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy may be necessary in order to kill any cancer cells that have spread. Chemotherapy enters the blood stream by either a needle in a vein or in pill form. It may also be injected straight into the region where the cancer was first found. Chemotherapy is usually used in conjunction with surgery to make sure that all the cancer cells in the body are destroyed. It can be used before or after surgery and may be a combination of a variety of drugs. Radiation therapy uses high-dose X-rays to kill cancer cells and may be used in addition to chemotherapy and surgery. Find a surgeon in your area who uses Wright Medical products.
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Copyright ©2008 Wright Medical Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Please see Site Disclaimers for complete information regarding contents, correspondence, surgical procedures, product information, and links to other web sites. |
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