Is osteosarcoma a type of cancer?
Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that usually develops in the osteoblast cells that form bone. It happens most often in children, adolescents, and young adults. Approximately 800 new cases of osteosarcoma are reported each year in the U.S. Of these cases, about 400 are in children and teens.
Is osteosarcoma malignant or benign?
Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma, two of the most common malignant bone tumors, are usually found in people age 30 or younger. In contrast, chondrosarcoma, malignant tumors that grow as cartilage-like tissue, usually occur after the age of 30. Malignant bone tumors include: Chondrosarcoma.
Is osteosarcoma serious?
Complications of osteosarcoma and its treatment include: Cancer that spreads (metastasizes). Osteosarcoma can spread from where it started to other areas, making treatment and recovery more difficult. Osteosarcoma that spreads most often spreads to the lungs and to other bones.
How serious is osteosarcoma?
How long can you live with osteosarcoma?
Survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed….5-year relative survival rates for osteosarcoma.
| SEER stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
|---|---|
| Distant | 26% |
| All SEER stages combined | 60% |
Who is at risk for osteosarcoma?
The risk of osteosarcoma is highest for those between the ages of 10 and 30, especially during the teenage growth spurt. This suggests there may be a link between rapid bone growth and risk of tumor formation. The risk goes down in middle age, but rises again in older adults (usually over the age of 60).
Can osteosarcoma be removed?
Operations used to treat osteosarcoma include: Surgery to remove the cancer only (limb-sparing surgery). Most osteosarcoma operations can be done in a way that removes all of the cancer and spares the limb so that function can be maintained.
What is osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that begins in the cells that form bones. Osteosarcoma is most often found in the long bones — more often the legs, but sometimes the arms — but it can start in any bone. In very rare instances, it occurs in soft tissue outside the bone.
What is the most common site of osteosarcoma?
The upper arm bone close to the shoulder (proximal humerus) is the next most common site. Still, osteosarcoma can develop in any bone, including the bones of the pelvis (hips), shoulder, and jaw.
Can osteosarcoma start in the arm?
Osteosarcoma is most often found in the long bones — more often the legs, but sometimes the arms — but it can start in any bone. Osteosarcoma tends to occur in teenagers and young adults, but it can also occur in younger children and older adults. Treatment usually involves chemotherapy and surgery.
What conditions may mimic osteosarcoma?
1 Department of Pathology, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030-4009, USA. [email protected] A variety of conditions may mimic osteosarcoma. The differential diagnosis includes benign and malignant tumors, infection and inflammatory processes arising from the musculoskeletal system.