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| Definition: | Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor that usually develops during the period of rapid growth which occurs in adolescence as a teenager matures into an adult.
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| Alternative Names: | Osteogenic sarcoma
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| Causes, incidence, and risk factors: | Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor in youth. The average age at diagnosis is 15. Boys and girls have a similar incidence of this tumor until late adolescence, at which time boys are more commonly affected.
The cause is not known. In some cases, osteosarcoma runs in families and at least one gene has been linked to increased risk. This gene is also associated with familial retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eye which occurs in children and it appears to be a defective tumor inhibitor gene.
Osteosarcoma tends to occur in the bones of the thigh (distal end), upper arm (proximal end), and shin (proximal end). This cancer occurs most commonly in larger bones and in the area of bone with fastest growth rate. Osteosarcoma can occur in any bone, however.
The most common symptom initially is pain. As the tumor grows, there may be visible swelling and limitation of motion. Tumors in the legs cause limping, while those in the arms cause pain on lifting. Swelling over the tumor may be warm and slightly reddened.
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Review Date: 7/11/2002
Reviewed By: Scott Howard, Scott Howard, M.D., M.S., Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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