Is a fracture in osteosarcoma very dangerous?

Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
Updated on April 29, 2025
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Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor of the bone, commonly found in adolescents and young adults, primarily occurring near the proximal tibia, distal femur, and proximal humerus, mostly at the metaphyseal ends. The tumor itself can lead to bone destruction and periosteal reactions. Pathological fractures may occur, which are frequently observed clinically. If a fracture occurs, radiographic examination can generally detect it, often showing a Codman's triangle or sunburst pattern. Early detection and treatment are crucial. Once a pathological fracture is observed, it typically indicates a middle to late stage of the disease, with a particularly high likelihood of lung metastasis. The situation with just a pathological fracture is quite severe, and unlike other fractures that might be managed with steel plates or intramedullary pins, treatment here is conservative, possibly requiring amputation, though limb-sparing approaches may also be necessary. Detecting the condition early, before distant metastasis, and combining treatment with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, can result in a five-year survival rate above 50%. The threat posed by pathological fractures alone is significant, and amputation may be necessary, with chemotherapy likely required post-surgery.

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Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
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Characteristics of Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor of the bone that primarily occurs in adolescents and young adults, commonly found at the metaphyseal ends of long bones. For example, it may occur at the distal end of the tibia, the distal end of the femur, or the metaphyseal end of the humerus. Clinically, the main symptom is pain, which is persistent and more noticeable at night, accompanied by a local mass, limited movement, increased local skin temperature, distended veins, and general symptoms such as weight loss and even cachexia. Some patients may experience pathological fractures. Often, there are no symptoms in the early stages, and by the time it is detected, it is usually in an intermediate or advanced stage. Radiographic examination typically shows a Codman's triangle or sunburst pattern. Early detection and treatment are crucial. The usual treatment choice is surgical, such as deactivation and reimplantation, or limb-salvage surgery with prosthetic implantation. Additionally, amputation followed by extensive chemotherapy is another option. With recent advances in chemotherapy, there has been significant improvement in life extension.

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Written by Peng Li Bo
Oncology
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Is chondrosarcoma cancer?

Chondrosarcoma is broadly cancer, but in medical terms, we wouldn’t necessarily phrase it that way; we simply describe chondrosarcoma as a type of malignant tumor, and currently, its treatment outcomes are not very good. Generally, when we talk about cancer, we’re referring to malignant tumors that originate from epithelial tissue, including cancers like stomach cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and liver cancer, which all derive from epithelial tissues. However, because chondrosarcoma originates from mesenchymal tissue, which includes muscle, cartilage, blood vessels, and nerves, malignant tumors that occur in these areas are usually called sarcomas. Sarcomas are definitely malignant, but to strictly call them cancer is not particularly precise.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Osteosarcoma is a type of cancer.

Osteosarcoma is a relatively common type of malignant bone tumor in clinical practice. It mainly occurs near the ends of the humerus, including the area around the head of the humerus, and at the distal end of the femur, near the femoral condyles, as well as the proximal tibia, close to the tibial plateau. These are its common sites. It predominantly affects teenagers, generally those under 18 years of age. The main symptoms include: firstly, persistent and worsening pain that gradually intensifies and does not alleviate, with the notable characteristic being that the pain is more severe at night than during the day; secondly, the appearance of spindle-shaped tumors around the joints, particularly at the three aforementioned common sites, often accompanied by redness, warmth, pain in the superficial skin, and even prominent superficial veins; thirdly, osteosarcoma is a type of malignant tumor, classified as grade 2B among malignant tumors. Its main feature, apart from local symptoms, is its propensity for metastasis, with the lungs being the most likely site of metastasis.

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Written by Zhang Ying Peng
Orthopedics
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How long can osteosarcoma last?

Osteosarcoma, also known as osteogenic sarcoma, commonly occurs in adolescents, especially in children and teenagers under the age of 20. It is one of the most malignant tumors among bone tumors, with most patients dying within six months to a year. However, early detection and treatment can potentially extend survival. The survival period of osteosarcoma depends on the location of the tumor; the closer to the distal extremities, the longer the survival period after treatment; the closer to the trunk, even with treatment, the survival period is not very long.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Can osteosarcoma be felt?

Osteosarcoma can be felt by touch, and its main clinical manifestations include persistent progressive pain, which intensifies at night. Secondly, there are local lumps, commonly located at the distal femur, proximal tibia, and proximal humerus, which are high incidence areas for osteosarcoma. In such cases, you don't even need to touch it; you can see it with the naked eye because the swelling is quite severe. Additionally, the surrounding skin may appear reddened and warm, and superficial veins may become prominently swollen, indicating that the skin over the affected area looks different from normal skin. Moreover, in the area affected by osteosarcoma, the bone may show a spindle-shaped enlargement, looking like a spindle-shaped lump, causing the joint area and the surrounding normal joints to be clearly abnormal. Therefore, in cases of obvious symptoms of osteosarcoma, not only can you see the tumor, but you can also feel it. However, patients often will not let you touch it, as touching can cause pain and even force the joint and surrounding muscles into a forced state. This forced condition helps alleviate pain in the joint and surrounding areas. Thus, osteosarcoma can indeed be felt by touch.