Osteosarcoma (osteosarcoma) - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Osteosarcoma

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Osteosarcoma

Content:

• Overview of Osteosarcoma
• Causes of osteosarcoma
• Osteosarcoma symptoms
• Diagnosis of the disease
• Treatment of osteosarcoma

Sarcoma is a malignant tumor of non-epithelial origin. It develops from the mesenchyme (primary connective tissue). Sarcoma is fundamentally different from cancer, the genesis of which is always associated with epithelial cells.

Overview of Osteosarcoma

Malignant cells of osteosarcoma (osteosarcoma) originate from bone tissue. In some neoplasms of this type, fibroplastic elements dominate, while in others - chondroblastic ones.

According to radiological signs, ostesarcoma is divided into the following types:

• osteolytic;
• sclerotic (osteoplastic);
• mixed.

This neoplasm is considered to be very malignant, since it arises from bone elements and is characterized by an active course. Osteosarcoma differs from many other neoplasms in its ability to metastasize very quickly.

This disease affects people of any age and gender. Most cases of osteosarcoma occur over a period of 10-30 years. Most often, this neoplasm appears at the end of puberty. According to the available statistics, men are exposed to it 2 times more than women.

The main places of localization of osteosarcomas are noted in such bones:

• long tubular;
• short and flat.

The bone tissue of the legs is affected 5-6 times more often than the upper limbs. About 80% of neoplasms of this type arise in the area of the knee joint. Often the tumor occurs on the tibia, fibula, pelvic, humerus, ulna. Often, there are cases of the appearance of such neoplasms in the region of the shoulder girdle.

The typical site of osteosarcoma is the metaepiphyseal end of long bones. It also often occurs at an early age at the metaphysis of the bone. When the femur is affected, such a neoplasm most often affects the distal end. Almost 10% of all neoplasms of this type arise in the diaphysis.

Causes of osteosarcoma

This type of tumor most often occurs with very rapid bone growth. Most cases of such a neoplasm are observed in children of tall stature, which does not correspond to age-related development. Osteosarcoma affects the growing parts of the human musculoskeletal system.

In some cases, osteosarcoma is a consequence of an injury. That is why it is so important to take X-rays of bones in time and diagnose the onset of the disease at an early stage.

One of the reasons for the appearance of this disease can be ionizing radiation, which children 12-16 years old are exposed to. Because of this, they can experience hormonal imbalance, which weakens the child's body. Those people who have such benign tumors as osteochondroma and enhodroma are also susceptible to the appearance of osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma symptoms

The onset of this disease is extremely difficult to determine precisely. In osteosarcoma, a symptom of the disease is severe night pain in the area of the affected bone, which cannot be relieved by any traditional analgesics. The first clinical symptom of sarcoma is the appearance of an enlarging tumor-like formation. As the tumor spreads and other adjacent tissues are involved in the pathogenic process, the pain sensations increase more and more.

With the development of the disease, a distinct thickening of the metaphyseal section of the affected bone is found. There is a pronounced pasty tissue, and a clear venous network appears on the skin. As the osteosarcoma progresses, the patient has contracture in the affected joint and lameness in the affected leg increases. The patient complains of sharp pain on palpation of the affected area of the bone.

With osteosarcoma, its rapid spread to neighboring tissues is noted. This neoplasm fills the bone marrow canal in a short period of time. In this case, the neoplasm grows into muscle tissue. Osteosarcoma early gives significant hematogenous metastases. They can spread to the lungs and brain.

Diagnosis of the disease

Osteosarcoma can be easily diagnosed with bone x-rays. At the initial stage of neoplasm development, osteoporosis of the affected bone is noted. The picture shows blurred tumor contours. At the initial stage of the disease, it is characterized by the localization of the tumor in the metaphysis.

With the progression of osteosarcoma, a bone defect is observed. Some tumors of this type are characterized by osteoblastic and proliferative processes, in which there is a swelling of the detached periosteum. When osteosarcoma appears in children, needle periostitis is often noted, in which spicules (linear bone shadows) are formed.

The oncologist differentiates osteosarcoma from other neoplasms such as eosinophilic granuloma, chondrosarcoma, cartilaginous exostosis, osteoblaxstoma.

Treatment of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma treatment consists of the following stages:

1. Preoperative chemotherapy aimed at suppressing micrometastases in the lung tissue. Thanks to her, you can achieve a reduction in the size of the tumor. During chemotherapy, the patient may be prescribed the following drugs: high-dose methotrexate, ifosfamide, adriablastin, etoposide, carboplatin, cisplatin.
2. Excision of the tumor, which often saves most of the bone. Previously, doctors resorted to extensive surgery, during which the patient's limb, affected by the tumor, was often amputated. Modern methods of therapy allow for a gentle excision of the neoplasm, in which only part of the bone is removed. The removed site is replaced with a plastic or metal implant.
3. Postoperative chemotherapy taking into account the results of preoperative chemotherapy.

In some especially severe cases, when the neoplasm grows into the neurovascular bundle, a pathological fracture occurs or the tumor is very large, doctors have to remove the affected limb. Modern methods of treatment make it possible to preserve organs even in the presence of large metastases, for example, to the lungs. They are simply removed surgically. In cases where surgery is impossible for any reason, the patient may be prescribed radiation therapy.

The use of modern approaches to the treatment of osteosarcoma, including various types of chemotherapy and surgical intervention, can achieve very good results. Thanks to this, the survival rate of patients with such a diagnosis only increases every year.

The author of the article: Bykov Evgeny Pavlovich | Oncologist, surgeon

Education: graduated from residency at the Russian Scientific Oncological Center. N. N. Blokhin "and received a diploma in the specialty" Oncologist"