Is osteosarcoma treatable?

Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
Updated on September 22, 2024
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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.

Other Voices

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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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.

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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 Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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Osteosarcoma is malignant.

Regarding whether osteosarcoma is benign or malignant, it is certain that osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor with a very high degree of malignancy. Once osteosarcoma is definitively diagnosed, aggressive treatment is necessary. Surgery is the main treatment approach, aiming to perform as extensive a resection as possible, or amputation may be required when necessary. After surgery, the resected specimen must be sent for pathological examination. Based on the type of pathology, the next step in treatment, either radiotherapy or chemotherapy, will be determined to minimize the recurrence of osteosarcoma, as a recurrence can endanger the patient's life.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Can osteosarcoma be detected by X-ray?

Osteosarcoma can be detected with an X-ray, which is a very important method for diagnosing osteosarcoma. Since osteosarcoma typically comes in three types—osteoblastic, osteolytic, and mixed—the appearances on the X-rays are generally different. Osteolytic osteosarcoma mainly involves bone destruction, osteoblastic is characterized by bone regeneration, and the mixed type has both bone destruction and regeneration. Secondly, osteosarcoma primarily erodes the bone quality, and the periosteal reaction is very apparent. Typical osteosarcomas often show signs like Codman's triangle or the sunburst appearance. Therefore, if symptoms such as redness and increased temperature of the skin, along with a bony lump, occur around the distal femur, proximal tibia, or proximal humerus, it is best to first go to the hospital for an X-ray. X-rays are currently the most economical and necessary diagnostic tool for osteosarcoma.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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Does osteosarcoma require amputation?

Do osteosarcomas require amputation? In the past, the likelihood of amputation for treating osteosarcoma was very high. However, currently, the rate of amputation is very low, and the limb-salvage rate is very high. This is due to a new chemotherapy protocol in medical practice, which involves initial chemotherapy followed by surgery, and then continued chemotherapy post-operatively. The limb-salvage rate with this treatment plan can reach about 75% to 80%. Therefore, currently, most osteosarcoma patients do not require amputation. Unlike the past, where amputation rates were very high, today's medical approach is very advanced, generally resulting in a very high rate of limb preservation for osteosarcoma patients.