How harmful is osteosarcoma?

Osteosarcoma is a malignant connective tissue tumor in which tumor cells can directly produce tumor bone and bone-like tissue. Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor, which usually occurs in adolescents and is more common in boys than in girls. Its incidence rate ranks first among primary malignant tumors. So how harmful is osteosarcoma?

The tumor is highly malignant and has a very poor prognosis. It can metastasize to the lungs within a few months, and the survival rate is only 5% to 20% 3 to 5 years after amputation. About three quarters of all osteosarcomas occur at the lower end of the femur and the upper end of the tibia. Other sites such as the humerus, upper end of the femur, fibula, spine, and ilium can also occur. Most are osteolytic, and a few are osteoblastic. Age of onset: It can occur at any age, but most are between 10 and 25 years old, and more often in men. The tumor is mostly at the end of the bone, and occasionally occurs in the shaft or epiphysis.

It mainly harms the rapidly growing metaphysis, has a high degree of malignancy and a poor prognosis. The main symptom is pain, which is often persistent and worse at night. A lump appears in the affected area in the early stage, develops rapidly, the local skin temperature is high, the superficial veins are filled or dilated, and tremors and vascular murmurs may occur. Systemic symptoms such as weight loss, anemia, fatigue, and loss of appetite may appear in the early stage.

Osteosarcoma is very harmful, but don't give up and still need to actively treat it. Osteosarcoma metastasis is mainly through blood circulation, while soft tissue tumors also metastasize through lymphatic channels in addition to blood circulation. Some highly differentiated soft tissue osteosarcomas mainly recur locally and rarely metastasize to distant locations.