Osteosarcoma bone cancer or osteosarcoma is one of the most common types of cancer in children. This cancer is malignant and often accompanied by symptoms of knee pain.
Cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer is generally experienced by adults. However, it turns out that children have the potential to experience certain types of cancer. If handled late, cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body.
One of the cancers experienced by children is bone cancer. According to an orthopedic and traumatology specialist and orthopedic oncology consultant Dr. Yogi Prabowo, SpOT(K) Onk from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), bone cancer is a malignant tumor of the bones that occurs a lot in children.
Bone cancer consists of several types. However, the types most often experienced by children are osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma.
“A lot of osteosarcoma affects teenagers. The highest incidence is aged 10 to 20 years and causes many problems such as disability, death so that the quality of life of children is reduced,” said Dr. Yogi when met detikcom at RSCM, Wednesday (1/2/2023).
Children who have successfully recovered from bone cancer may experience disabilities as a result of having their legs amputated to prevent the spread of cancer cells.
Generally, bone cancer in children has a small prevalence, only about 1 percent of all existing cancers. Although only 1 percent, bone cancer is very malignant and causes many problems in children. The growth of cancer cells is fast so treatment is often late.
Symptoms of Bone Cancer
The initial symptom of bone cancer is pain around the knee. This pain occurs in the knee because cancer cells are rapidly growing on the most active growth plate or growing bone. In children, the knee joint contributes 70-80 percent to height growth.
“Other places can also, for example on the shoulder (proximal humerus), wrist, or other bones. But most often the frequency is in the knee joint, causing disability,” explained Dr. Yogi.
Once exposed to bone cancer, children feel severe pain and even broken bones. This condition causes children to be unable to walk and move around. Furthermore, the pain developed into a lump in a matter of months. The lump has the potential to grow more than the child’s body itself.
Another symptom is that the child’s body becomes emaciated because it is eaten away by cancer cells. The skin turns pale because the child lacks blood. Oxygenation throughout the body is also reduced so that children may experience other disorders.
Causes of bone cancer
dr. Yogi explained that at this time the exact cause of bone cancer was not known. However, genetic factors are thought to be the cause of this disease.
“A person who has a genetic (risk) of bone cancer must be monitored from the start and maybe genetic therapy can be done,” said Dr. Yogi.
Watch Video “Recognize Early Symptoms of Cancer in Children“
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