When we hear the word cancer, our hearts automatically sink into our stomachs. Now, imagine you are just a child and your parents are told you have Osteosarcoma. This is a type of cancer that is most commonly found in those between the ages of 10 to 20 years old, and often found in the long bones of the body; thigh, shin, or humerus (“Types of Childhood Cancer” 2015).
Keep in mind that the cancer can vary with each child. Osteosarcoma can be detected by a child being in severe pain and the parents taking them to the doctors. The pain a child feels is most commonly found around the knee or upper arm, and will escalate with the more activities a child partakes in, sometimes causing a limp in the legs. Depending on where the said tumor is located, one may also be able to feel a lump or mass in that area, and will most likely be accompanied by an aching pain in the joints. The swelling seen can be very common in highly active children and young teens. When a limb starts to swell, this is likely caused by everyday child activates, that ended up in a playful accented leaving bumps and bruises, which is nothing a parent cannot handle (“Signs and symptoms" Nov, 2015). At …show more content…
There are other tests that are key to identifying Osteosarcoma such as; “an MRI of the entire bone where the primary tumor is located, a chest x-ray and CT scan of the chest to detect lung metastases, a bone scan of the body to rule out distant spread of the disease, and a biopsy of the tumor” (Ryan, S., & Sorens, M. (2012, October). There are 2 types of biopsies; a needle aspiration or a surgical biopsy, with location playing a key part in deciding which procedure to perform. By performing the biopsy doctors will also be able to tell how malignant the tumor is, and the stage of the
Keep in mind that the cancer can vary with each child. Osteosarcoma can be detected by a child being in severe pain and the parents taking them to the doctors. The pain a child feels is most commonly found around the knee or upper arm, and will escalate with the more activities a child partakes in, sometimes causing a limp in the legs. Depending on where the said tumor is located, one may also be able to feel a lump or mass in that area, and will most likely be accompanied by an aching pain in the joints. The swelling seen can be very common in highly active children and young teens. When a limb starts to swell, this is likely caused by everyday child activates, that ended up in a playful accented leaving bumps and bruises, which is nothing a parent cannot handle (“Signs and symptoms" Nov, 2015). At …show more content…
There are other tests that are key to identifying Osteosarcoma such as; “an MRI of the entire bone where the primary tumor is located, a chest x-ray and CT scan of the chest to detect lung metastases, a bone scan of the body to rule out distant spread of the disease, and a biopsy of the tumor” (Ryan, S., & Sorens, M. (2012, October). There are 2 types of biopsies; a needle aspiration or a surgical biopsy, with location playing a key part in deciding which procedure to perform. By performing the biopsy doctors will also be able to tell how malignant the tumor is, and the stage of the