Osteosarcoma Flashcards
What is the epidemiology of osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in children and young adults.
It comprises more than half of all pediatric primary skeletal malignancies.
What age group is most affected by osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma most often occurs in people under 20 years old, with teens being the most commonly affected age group.
Osteosarcomas can develop at any age.
How common is osteosarcoma in adults?
Osteosarcoma is the second most common type of primary bone tumor in adults.
It is most common in males.
What is osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma is a type of primary bone cancer that occurs at metaphyseal plates.
What age group is at the highest risk for osteosarcoma?
The highest risk is for those between the ages of 10 and 30, especially during the teenage growth spurt.
How does age affect the risk of osteosarcoma?
The risk goes down in middle ages but rises again in older adults (over age of 60).
Osteosarcoma in older adults is often linked to another cause such as a long-standing bone disease.
What is a common characteristic of children with osteosarcoma?
Children with osteosarcoma are usually tall for their age.
Which gender is more likely to develop osteosarcoma?
Males are more likely to develop osteosarcoma.
Which races/ethnicities are at higher risk for osteosarcoma?
African-American and Latino individuals are at higher risk.
What previous medical exposure is a risk factor for osteosarcoma?
Previous radiation exposure is a risk factor.
What bone disease is associated with an increased risk of osteosarcoma?
Paget’s disease is associated with an increased risk.
What genetic conditions are linked to osteosarcoma?
Retinoblastoma, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, and Rothman-Thomson syndrome are linked to osteosarcoma due to mutations of the p53 gene.
What is the most common presenting symptom of osteosarcoma?
Pain
Pain may occur even without a mass that can be felt.
How do patients with osteosarcoma typically describe their pain?
Patients usually experience nonspecific pain and swelling that becomes progressively worse over several months.
What are other common presenting symptoms of osteosarcoma?
Mass, Decreased Range of motion, Fracture
Where does osteosarcoma most commonly occur?
In the long bones around the knee
What are the most common sites for osteosarcoma?
- Distal Femur (near metaphyseal plate)
- Proximal tibia
- Proximal humerus
What is important to determine the duration of symptoms in osteosarcoma?
A complete history of the patient is important.
What imaging is used at the primary tumor site for osteosarcoma?
X-ray of primary tumor site.
How does osteosarcoma appear on an X-ray?
It appears as a tumor permeating the medullary cavity with a classic ‘onion skin’.
What imaging is used to rule out lung metastasis in osteosarcoma?
Chest CT.
What is the key indicator of malignancy on a radiograph?
The characteristic of the margin.
What percentage of cases with well-defined sclerotical borders are malignant?
A legion with well-defined sclerotical borders is malignant in only 6% of cases.
Why is MRI used in instances of aggressive bone tumors?
Because of the accuracy in distinguishing healthy tissues and neurovascular structures from the tumor tissue.
