What are the clinical manifestations of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma can be easily confused with other orthopedic diseases, so friends must pay attention to the distinction. In fact, osteosarcoma is essentially different from common orthopedic diseases. In order to allow more friends to deepen their understanding of osteosarcoma, I will give you a detailed introduction to the clinical manifestations of osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is common in people aged 10 to 25, with the youngest onset age being 5 years old. The most common site is around the knee joint. The incidence in men is twice as high as in women. The tumor is common in the epiphyseal ends of long tubular bones, occasionally in the bone shaft, most commonly in the lower end of the femur and the upper end of the tibia, accounting for about half of all cases, followed by the upper end of the femur and humerus, and rarely in the fibula, pelvis and vertebrae. Distal limb disease (such as hands and feet) is extremely rare. According to the clinical symptoms and signs of the disease process, it can be divided into the following stages.

1. Early symptoms: There may be mild local pain, which is not easy to notice. The course of the disease varies, from the onset of symptoms to the time of seeing a doctor, ranging from a few days to several years, with an average of 3 to 4 months.

2. Mid-term symptoms: manifested as pain, swelling and dysfunction, with pain being the most important symptom. Initially, the pain is intermittent, but becomes severe and persistent after a few weeks. The cause of the pain is the erosion and dissolution of the cortical bone by the tumor tissue and the destruction of the periosteum. Lower limb tumors may cause pain-avoiding claudication. As the disease progresses, local swelling and increased surface temperature may occur, with tenderness. The hardness of the tumor varies depending on the degree of ossification. The enlargement of the tumor causes limited joint movement and disuse muscle atrophy.

3. Late stage symptoms: The above symptoms progressively worsen, the pain is unbearable, and painkillers cannot relieve it. The tumor is extremely enlarged, the surface veins are swollen, and fever, weight loss, anemia, fatigue, etc. gradually appear, indicating a cachectic state.

4. Metastasis symptoms: Lung metastasis is the most common, followed by bone metastasis. Most cases occur within six months.

For the above-mentioned symptoms at various stages, the treatment of osteosarcoma also requires symptomatic treatment. First, you need to go to the hospital to find out the condition. The doctor will develop a treatment plan based on the patient's condition. Sometimes there are multiple treatment plans instead of just one. You can communicate with the doctor to choose the treatment method that best suits you.