Do osteosarcomas hurt?

Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
Updated on April 03, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
48sec home-news-image

Osteosarcoma etiology

Currently, in clinical practice, the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma is not fully understood. However, it may be related to genetics, exposure to radioactive materials, and viral infections. It can also be secondary to other deformative osteitis, fibrous dysplasia, and some benign tumors transforming into malignant bone tumors. Osteosarcoma primarily occurs in the metaphysis of long bones. The tumor spreads along the marrow cavity, extending towards both the metaphysis of the long bones and the diaphysis of the bones. Once the tumor breaks through the bone shaft, it rapidly destroys the cortical bone, spreads under the periosteum, and invades the surrounding soft tissues outside the eardrum, damaging the surrounding muscles and soft tissues.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
39sec home-news-image

Does osteosarcoma spread through blood?

As far as we know, osteosarcoma is not transmitted through blood or infectious. If osteosarcoma had such infectious characteristics, it would be transmitted in the same way as AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases and would be classified as a contagious disease. However, there has been no notification or relevant guidelines to date indicating that osteosarcoma can be transmitted through blood. Therefore, normal contact with patients with osteosarcoma, or caring for patients with osteosarcoma, including sharing the same food or coming into contact with their blood, generally does not lead to the transmission or contraction of osteosarcoma.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
32sec home-news-image

The common sites of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma commonly occurs in the long tubular bones of the limbs, such as the femur, tibia, and humerus, especially near the joints of these long bones where the incidence is highest. In children, the distal femur and proximal tibia account for about three-quarters of all bone tumors. Osteosarcoma can also occur in the proximal humerus, the spine, and the ribs, although it is less common in these locations. The most frequent sites remain the long tubular bones in the limbs.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
43sec home-news-image

Is osteosarcoma highly malignant?

First of all, it is certain that osteosarcoma is very malignant. Once osteosarcoma is detected, it is necessary to actively prepare for surgery, rule out surgical contraindications, and then proceed with surgical treatment. During the surgery, efforts should be made to perform an extended resection, and if necessary, amputation may be required. After the surgery, the excised specimen must be sent for pathological examination to determine the pathological type. Then, based on the examination results, effective radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be chosen to control the possibility of recurrence or metastasis of osteosarcoma and to extend the patient's life as much as possible.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
31sec home-news-image

Can hot compresses relieve pain for osteosarcoma?

Osteosarcoma has very limited pain relief effects through simple or pure hot compresses. As the lesion progresses, hot compresses can become completely ineffective or have very unclear effects. Clinical manifestations include pain and swelling, with local formation of lumps or tumor-like appearances. It can also affect the joint mobility around it, and even cause atrophy of limbs and muscles. In terms of treatment, it still relies on early surgical excision, but the prognosis is still not very optimistic.