Is osteosarcoma sensitive to chemotherapy?

Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
Updated on September 27, 2024
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Osteosarcoma is relatively sensitive to chemotherapy. Currently, the treatment of malignant tumors is primarily a comprehensive approach centered around surgery. However, the treatment of osteosarcoma should start with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which involves administering a certain number of chemotherapy sessions, generally around six, before surgery. After chemotherapy, the tumor itself shrinks in size, pain is reduced, and the patient's cachexia also improves. At this point, choosing an optimal surgical method based on the tumor’s location and size becomes feasible, whether it involves amputation, limb-salvage, or other treatment methods such as the implantation of prosthetics. Postoperative chemotherapy is then administered. With this approach, there is a significant improvement in the five-year survival rate. Therefore, the treatment of osteosarcoma is inseparable from chemotherapy, requiring both preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy, making osteosarcoma quite sensitive to chemotherapy overall.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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Osteosarcoma imaging manifestations

The radiological features of osteosarcoma start with an introduction to X-ray imaging. X-rays can show typical new bone formation and bone destruction, which are characteristic features of X-rays. Destruction of bone trabeculae can also be seen on X-rays. Additionally, the density of the tumor tissue increases, leading to a characteristic X-ray known as the Codman's triangle, which occurs when the tumor penetrates the bone and pushes up the periosteum, creating a unique image of Codman's triangle. The second examination includes CT scans and MRI, which are primarily used to determine the nature and extent of the bone tumor, and whether there is infiltration into the surrounding soft tissues. The third radiological examination is a nuclear bone scan, which is primarily important for determining whether the myeloma has metastasized to distant sites.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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Do osteosarcomas hurt?

The early symptoms of osteosarcoma include pain, which initially is intermittent. As the condition progresses, this intermittent pain gradually becomes constant, and the intensity of the pain is parallel to the severity of the osteosarcoma, meaning the more severe the osteosarcoma, the more intense the pain. Additionally, you can also feel a lump forming on the affected limb, and this lump is clearly tender to touch. The third symptom is the occurrence of a limp. This limp is due to pain, which prevents the patient from bearing weight and walking for extended periods. Lastly, all osteosarcomas present symptoms such as anemia, pathologic fractures, and a low-grade fever.

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Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
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Can osteosarcoma be treated with moxibustion?

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor of the bone, and the treatment effect of moxibustion is not very good. This disease develops quite rapidly, mostly occurring at the proximal end of the tibia, the distal end of the femur, the proximal end of the humerus, among others, typically at the metaphyseal ends. Clinically, the main symptoms include persistent pain, which becomes more pronounced at night, along with local swelling, restricted movement, increased local surface skin temperature, some may show prominent veins, and patients often appear emaciated, severely looking cachectic as the disease progresses with noticeable symptoms. Radiographic examination can reveal Codman's triangle or sunburst patterns. Early detection necessitates early treatment, including surgery such as inactivation reimplantation or prosthesis implantation to sustain operation. Additionally, amputation followed by extensive chemotherapy can effectively improve the patient’s survival time. Osteosarcoma has a high chance of early pulmonary metastasis, requiring systematic treatment at a hospital. Solely using moxibustion is not very effective and has limited usefulness, but it could still be worth a try if there are no better options available.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Is osteosarcoma treatable?

Osteosarcoma is not about whether it can be treated, but it must be treated. Moreover, the earlier the treatment, the higher the five-year survival rate. Currently, the treatment for osteosarcoma still primarily involves comprehensive therapy centered around surgery. With the advent of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the five-year survival rate for osteosarcoma has significantly increased. Specifically, once osteosarcoma is diagnosed, extensive chemotherapy is administered before surgery. After chemotherapy, depending on the extent of tumor invasion, either radical segmental resection, limb-sparing surgery, or amputation is considered. Postoperative treatment also requires continued high-dose chemotherapy. In fact, if osteosarcoma is not treated, it metastasizes very quickly, primarily to the lungs. However, if the treatment is very early, timely, and correct, the current five-year survival rate has reached about 80%. Therefore, osteosarcoma can be treated, and the earlier the treatment, the better the outcomes.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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What are the symptoms of osteosarcoma?

Osteosarcoma is a very common malignant tumor, primarily occurring at the distal femur, proximal tibia, and proximal humerus. Its manifestations mainly include persistent pain at these three locations, which gradually worsens and is accompanied by nighttime pain. Secondly, there is local swelling; the surface of the tumor may feel warmer to the touch and may even exhibit prominent veins, leading to restricted joint movement near the tumor. Thirdly, some patients may exhibit signs of systemic deterioration, such as weight loss, anemia, and fatigue. Fourthly, osteolytic osteosarcomas often erode the bone cortex, eventually weakening the bone and leading to pathological fractures. Thus, the symptoms of osteosarcoma include persistent pain in specific areas accompanied by nighttime pain, local swelling, systemic deterioration, and pathological fractures in many patients.