Do benign osteosarcomas use chemotherapy?

Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
Updated on January 01, 2025
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First of all, all osteosarcomas are malignant; osteosarcoma is a type of malignant tumor with no benign variant. Regarding the treatment of osteosarcoma, the first step is chemotherapy. After confirming the diagnosis through pathological examination and confirming it is osteosarcoma, The first step is chemotherapy, which can stabilize the tumor cells; Then, the main tissue is surgically removed, as well as the surrounding infiltrated soft tissue; The third step is to use chemotherapy again to eliminate the residual cancer cells. This treatment protocol of chemotherapy-surgery-chemotherapy is currently the most common and advanced method in the country. It can significantly improve the patient's survival rate, reduce the risk of amputation, and can also prevent the recurrence of osteosarcoma.

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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.

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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 Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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Causes of Osteosarcoma Formation

The causes of osteosarcoma formation are currently unclear in clinical practice, but they are somewhat related to environmental factors and genetic changes, including heredity. If triggered by external viral infections or physical and chemical influences, osteosarcomas may develop. Likewise, genetic mutations and cellular mutations might also be associated with the formation of osteosarcomas. Osteosarcomas originate from mesenchymal cells and can grow rapidly; passing through a cartilaginous stage, they directly and indirectly form bone-like and bone tissues, damaging the bone structure, which leads to severe consequences.

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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 Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
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How to alleviate the pain of osteosarcoma?

Pain in osteosarcoma patients is mostly caused by the cancer invading local bone tissue and other tissues, leading to pain, tenderness, and even sleeplessness. Therefore, the pain management follows a certain hierarchy, starting with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, followed by weak opioids, and finally strong opioids such as morphine. However, this only alleviates the pain and does not help with treatment. For early-stage osteosarcoma patients, pain management primarily involves surgery when necessary. For advanced-stage patients, it involves gradually increasing the dose of effective pain-relief medications to alleviate temporary pain. (Controlled drugs must be strictly used under the supervision of relevant physicians.)