The short answer
The two main bone cancers in children and teens are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Both often cause bone pain and swelling, frequently near the knee or in the long bones. Treatment usually combines chemotherapy with surgery, and sometimes radiation for Ewing sarcoma.
The two main childhood bone cancers are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma.
They most often affect older children and teenagers.
Common symptoms are bone pain and swelling, often near the knee or in the long bones.
Osteosarcoma usually starts in the bone itself; Ewing sarcoma can start in bone or nearby soft tissue.
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The full explanation.
The simple version
The two main bone cancers in children and teens are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Both most often affect older children and teenagers and frequently cause bone pain and swelling.
Two main types
The two types start in slightly different places:
- Osteosarcoma — the most common childhood bone cancer; usually starts in the bone itself, often near the ends of long bones like around the knee
- Ewing sarcoma — can start in a bone or in the soft tissue around it
Symptoms
The most common symptoms are bone pain and swelling, often near the knee or in the long bones of the arms and legs. Pain may be worse at night or with activity, and a bone weakened by a tumor can sometimes break.
How they are treated
Treatment usually combines chemotherapy with surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy is sometimes used for Ewing sarcoma. Whenever possible, surgeons use limb-sparing surgery to remove the tumor while saving the arm or leg.
Limb-sparing surgery can often remove the tumor while saving the affected limb.
Words to know
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Common questions
▸What are the main bone cancers in children?
The two main types are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Both most often affect older children and teenagers.
▸What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms are bone pain and swelling, often near the knee or in the long bones of the arms and legs. Pain may be worse at night or with activity.
▸How are osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma different?
Osteosarcoma usually starts in the bone itself, most often near the ends of long bones. Ewing sarcoma can start in a bone or in the soft tissue around it.
▸How are they treated?
Treatment usually combines chemotherapy with surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation therapy is sometimes used for Ewing sarcoma. Limb-sparing surgery is often possible.
▸What is limb-sparing surgery?
It is surgery that removes the tumor while saving the arm or leg, often using a bone graft or an implant to replace the removed bone.
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