Bone cancer is a rare type of cancer. It can affect young children, adolescents and adults alike. Bone pain and fractures are usually associated clinical signs.

Bone cancer is a rare type of cancer. It can affect young children, adolescents and adults alike. Bone pain and fractures are usually associated clinical signs.

A distinction is made between bone cancer of primary importance and that of secondary importance. The first form directly attacks the bones of the body. The second is the cause of the spread of a tumor, from another part of the body.

Added to this, several types of bone cancer are to be differentiated:

• the oséosarcome : the most widespread bone cancer, most commonly affecting children and young adults (less than 20 years of age)
• Ewing’s sarcoma : affecting people aged 10 to 20 more
• the chondrosarcome, concerning, as for him, the people of which the age is higher than 40 years.

Young patients (children and pre-adolescents) affected by this type of cancer can present a rapid spread of this disease, especially during the period of puberty. In this sense, this extent of cancer can interfere with the development of the entire skeleton.

These different forms of bone cancer can affect many different parts of the body and different cells. In this sense, the clinical signs as well as the treatments adopted will depend on the type of bone cancer.

In most cases of bone cancer, the exact origin is unknown.

However, there are factors that may be the source of an increased risk of developing such cancer. Among these, we can note:

• exposure to radiation, as part of radiotherapy treatment for example
• the presence of an underlying bone pathology. Particularly the Paget’s disease
• genetic factors, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, reflecting the absence of a gene allowing the body to fight against the development of cancer cells.

Anyone can be affected by such cancer.

Certain types of bone cancer affect young people more (osteosarcoma or Ewing’s sarcoma) and others in older age (chondrosarcoma).

However, certain parameters can induce the development of such cancer: radiotherapy, genetics, bone disease, etc.

Bone cancer can affect different bones in different parts of the body.

In the more general case, it affects the long bones of the legs and forearms. However, other bodily locations cannot be ruled out.

The symptoms most often found are then:

• bone pain, which becomes more severe over time and persists at night
• swelling and inflammation in the affected area. These can induce difficulties in body movements, especially if the inflammation is located near the ligaments
• the noticeable formation of a nodule in the bone
• weakness in the strength of the skeleton (increased risk of fractures).

A child complaining of such symptoms must be seen by a doctor as soon as possible, in order to avoid possible consequences on his development and on his growth.

Certain risk factors can induce, to a greater or lesser extent, the development of such a cancer. Among these: exposure to radiation, genetic factors or even certain underlying pathologies.

Generally, it is after a bone fracture or significant pain in the bones that the first clinical diagnosis is effective.

An x-ray then makes it possible to highlight an abnormality characteristic of bone cancer.

Other additional medical examinations may also be prescribed as part of confirmation or denial of the disease, but also to determine the degree of spread of the cancer.

Among these :

• la bone scan,
• the scanner,
• l’IRM
• positron emission tomography.

Biological signs can also indicate bone cancer. These parameters are then measured through blood or urine tests. Hypercalcemia, the presence of tumor markers or else markers of inflammation can be significant for such a cancer.

In order to learn more about the probable origin of the cancer, the use of biopsy is also possible.

The management and treatment of such cancer depends on the type of cancer and how far it has spread.

In most cases, the treatment results in:

• surgery, removing part of the affected area. In this context, it is also often possible to replace this part but amputation can also be the last solution.
• chemotherapy, the treatment most often used to treat cancer
• radiation therapy, using radiation to destroy cancer cells.

In some cases of osteosarcoma, additional drug therapy (mifamurtide) may also be prescribed.