Osteosarcoma
Anna Hagy &Devin Joy
November 11, 2014
2113 Section 9
Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma, often referred to as Osteogenic sarcoma, is the most common type of cancer you can get in the bones. When a person has Osteosarcoma, the bone matrix is created differently. The bone matrix provides the structural integrity of the bone, which is used to support the human body during day-to-day activities. Osteosarcoma occurs when bones have a more rapid rate of growth, more so in the long bones. Osteosarcoma is formed from cells, much like the osteoblast that make the bone matrix, that do not make the bone matrix as strong as it should be. There are 3 sub-types of Osteosarcoma, High-Grade, Intermediate-Grade, and Low-Grade. These three types are broken down even further based on how the tumor grows and spreads to other parts of the human body (“what is”, 2014). There are multiple ways of detecting the growth and spread of Osteosarcoma in the body. The first major signal is pain and swelling, more so around the knee or the upper parts of the arm. The pain does not have to be consistent, and may be worse at night and during physical activity or strain. Swelling in the area is also a big sign of Osteosarcoma, although it could come on weeks after the pain has started. This is more of a symptom found in the elderly though, as children and teens are generally more active. The second is bone fractures, which occur from the weakness of the bone matrix. A rare form of Osteosarcoma, called Telangiectatic Osteosarcoma, which causes the weakened part of the bone to fracture, but not fully break. Constant bone fractures in the same location are a sign of Osteosarcoma (“Signs and symptoms”, 2014). The susceptibility of Osteosarcoma is higher in people between ages 10 - 30, as your bones are still growing between these ages. This cancer also has a higher risk in people over 60 years of age, though that is because of another bone disease. Osteosarcoma has a higher probability in people that
November 11, 2014
2113 Section 9
Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma, often referred to as Osteogenic sarcoma, is the most common type of cancer you can get in the bones. When a person has Osteosarcoma, the bone matrix is created differently. The bone matrix provides the structural integrity of the bone, which is used to support the human body during day-to-day activities. Osteosarcoma occurs when bones have a more rapid rate of growth, more so in the long bones. Osteosarcoma is formed from cells, much like the osteoblast that make the bone matrix, that do not make the bone matrix as strong as it should be. There are 3 sub-types of Osteosarcoma, High-Grade, Intermediate-Grade, and Low-Grade. These three types are broken down even further based on how the tumor grows and spreads to other parts of the human body (“what is”, 2014). There are multiple ways of detecting the growth and spread of Osteosarcoma in the body. The first major signal is pain and swelling, more so around the knee or the upper parts of the arm. The pain does not have to be consistent, and may be worse at night and during physical activity or strain. Swelling in the area is also a big sign of Osteosarcoma, although it could come on weeks after the pain has started. This is more of a symptom found in the elderly though, as children and teens are generally more active. The second is bone fractures, which occur from the weakness of the bone matrix. A rare form of Osteosarcoma, called Telangiectatic Osteosarcoma, which causes the weakened part of the bone to fracture, but not fully break. Constant bone fractures in the same location are a sign of Osteosarcoma (“Signs and symptoms”, 2014). The susceptibility of Osteosarcoma is higher in people between ages 10 - 30, as your bones are still growing between these ages. This cancer also has a higher risk in people over 60 years of age, though that is because of another bone disease. Osteosarcoma has a higher probability in people that