Learn About Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is a rare type of cancerous bone tumor that usually develops in teenagers and young adults. It often occurs when a teen is growing rapidly.
Osteogenic sarcoma; Bone tumor - osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in children. The average age at diagnosis is 15 years. Boys and girls are just as likely to develop this tumor until the late teens, after which it occurs more often in boys. Osteosarcoma is also common in people over age 60.
The cause is not known. In some cases, osteosarcoma runs in families. At least one gene has been linked to an increased risk. This gene is also associated with familial retinoblastoma. This is a cancer of the eye that occurs in children.
Osteosarcoma tends to occur in the bones of the:
- Shin (near the knee)
- Thigh (near the knee)
- Upper arm (near the shoulder)
Osteosarcoma occurs most commonly in large bones in the area of bone with the fastest growth rate. However, it can occur in any bone.
The first symptom is usually bone pain near a joint. This symptom may be overlooked, especially in young people, because of other more common causes of joint pain.
Other symptoms may include any of the following:
- Bone fracture (may occur after a routine movement)
- Limitation of motion
- Limping (if the tumor is in the leg)
- Pain when lifting (if the tumor is in the arm)
- Tenderness, swelling, or redness at the site of the tumor
Treatment usually starts after a biopsy of the tumor is done.
Before surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both is usually given. This can shrink the tumor and make surgery easier. It may also kill any cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body.
Surgery is used after chemotherapy to remove any remaining tumor. In most cases, surgery can remove the tumor while saving the affected limb. This is called limb-sparing surgery. In rare cases, more extensive surgery (such as amputation) is necessary.
James Wittig is an Orthopedics provider in Hackensack, New Jersey. Dr. Wittig is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteosarcoma. His top areas of expertise are Osteosarcoma, Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Ewing Sarcoma, Hip Replacement, and Knee Replacement. Dr. Wittig is currently accepting new patients.
Cleveland Clinic Children's Outpatient Center
Peter Anderson is a Pediatrics provider in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Anderson has been practicing medicine for over 50 years and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteosarcoma. His top areas of expertise are Osteosarcoma, Ewing Sarcoma, Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor, and Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma.
Katherine Janeway is a Pediatric Hematologist Oncology provider in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Janeway is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteosarcoma. Her top areas of expertise are Osteosarcoma, Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Ewing Sarcoma, Neuroblastoma, and Bone Marrow Aspiration.
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If the tumor has not spread to the lungs (pulmonary metastasis), long-term survival rates are better. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the outlook is worse. However, there is still a chance of cure with effective treatment.
Complications may include:
- Limb removal
- Spread of cancer to the lungs
- Side effects of chemotherapy
Contact your provider if you or your child has persistent bone pain, tenderness, or swelling.
Summary: This phase II/III trial tests the safety, side effects, and best dose of the drug cabozantinib in combination with standard chemotherapy, and to compare the effect of adding cabozantinib to standard chemotherapy alone in treating patients with newly diagnosed osteosarcoma. Cabozantinib is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors which block protein signals affecting new blood vessel form...
Summary: This phase II trial studies the effect of atezolizumab and cabozantinib in treating adolescents and young adults with osteosarcoma that has come back (recurrent) or has spread to other places in the body (metastatic). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spr...
Published Date: October 14, 2024
Published By: Warren Brenner, MD, Oncologist, Lynn Cancer Institute, Boca Raton, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Anderson ME, DuBois SG, Gebhardt MC. Sarcomas of bone. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 89.
National Cancer Institute website. Osteosarcoma and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of bone treatment (PDQ) - health professional version. www.cancer.gov/types/bone/hp/osteosarcoma-treatment-pdq. Updated December 2, 2024. Accessed March 18, 2025.