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Osteosarcoma

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Osteogenic sarcoma

Treatment:

Treatment usually starts after a biopsy of the tumor. Before a major surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy is usually given. This is strong medication, injected intravenously (into the vein) to make the tumor shrink. Chemotherapy also treats any cancer cells which may have spread to other parts of the body. Surgery is then used to remove any remaining tumor, while attempting to spare the affected limb. In most cases, surgery can remove the tumor while sparing the affected limb (this is called limb-salvage surgery).Rarely more radical surgery (such as amputation) may be necessary for a permanent cure.

Common chemotherapy medicines include:

• High dose methotrexate with leucovorin
• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
• Cisplatin
• Carboplatin (Paraplatin)
• Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
• Ifosfamide (Ifex)

Support Groups:

Association of Cancer Online Resources

www.acor.org

Cure Search (formerly the National Childhood Cancer Foundation)

www.curesearch.org

Expectations (prognosis):

In the absence of pulmonary metastasis (spread of the tumor to the lungs), long-term survival is likely to reach 70%. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, there is still a good chance of cure with effective treatment.

Complications:

• Limb removal
• Lung metastases
• Effects of chemotherapy vary for each person and depend on the specific chemotherapy given

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if bone pain, tenderness, or swelling occur.

• Review Date: 5/22/2006
• Reviewed By: Adam S. Levy, MD, Director, Fellowship Training Program, Section of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx,NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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