Bone Sarcomas (Pediatric)

Osteosarcoma and Ewing's Sarcoma

Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma are malignant (cancerous) tumors that begin either in the bone or in the tissue around the bone. While the tumor can be located anywhere in the body, they often are found in the long bones of the arms and legs and less frequently in the pelvis, spine or ribs. Ewing’s sarcoma and osteosarcoma primarily occurs in children and young adults but most often appears during the teen years, when bones are quickly growing. Bone tumors can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body, most often the lungs and other bones. Ewing’s sarcoma can also spread to the bone marrow.

At the Solid Tumor Oncology Program, part of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan, we provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for children with Bone sarcomas.

Our dedicated team of specialists evaluates your child in a single visit and will create a customized treatment plan and begin your individualized treatment plan immediately. We are one of the first in the nation to offer this type of collaborative care for children with cancer. We are also one of the nation’s largest multidisciplinary programs caring for children with solid tumors and have the largest pediatric oncology research effort in the state.

Our Tumor Board meets weekly to discuss the care and treatment of children who are newly diagnosed with cancer, those currently on therapy, and families seeking a second opinion. Pediatric oncologists, orthopedic oncologists, pediatric surgeons, radiation oncologists, pathologists, diagnostic as well as interventional radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians attend the Tumor Board, allowing for our collective expertise to provide thorough, comprehensive approach to the care of children with bone sarcomas.

Bone Sarcoma Symptoms

Symptoms will vary depending on tumor size and whether or not the cancer has spread. Symptoms can include:

• Pain at the site of the tumor
• Swelling at the site of the tumor
• Broken bone from a minor injury or no injury
• Fever

Diagnosing Bone Sarcoma

Diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma and Osteosarcoma begins with a thorough health history and a comprehensive physical examination. Some testing will be required and may include blood work, an x-ray, a CT scan, an MRI, bone scan or PET scan. A biopsy to confirm the diagnosis is performed by removing a small piece of tissue from the tumor for examination under a microscope. A bone marrow biopsy may also be required to determine if the cancer has spread to the bone marrow in Ewing’s sarcoma.

Treatment of Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma

Every child’s treatment plan is individualized, based on the patient’s needs and the specific tumor, utilizing cutting-edge technology and the latest research.  Treatment options include:

• Surgery – when possible, surgery is used to remove the primary tumor. An orthopedic oncologist performs surgery to remove the bone containing the tumor and can usually reconstruct the bone to preserve function. Surgery to remove tumors is performed by our renowned orthopedic oncology team and pediatric general surgery team, each of whom specializes in minimally invasive approaches to tumor resection whenever possible.
• Chemotherapy – In general, chemotherapy is required before surgery (to shrink the tumor and/or control spreading) and/or after surgery (to eliminate any cancerous cells still present). Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with drugs that can destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy includes a variety of drugs that are given in a variety of ways.
• Radiation – Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy radiation – primarily X-rays – to kill cancer cells. When radiation treatments are given for cancer, special care is taken to ensure that as much normal tissue as possible is spared from radiation exposure. The radiation dose is precisely measured and carefully aimed to kill as many cancer cells as possible while sparing normal tissue. Radiation therapy is used more often in Ewing’s sarcoma than in Osteosarcoma.
• Clinical trials – Our specialists are at the center of developing new therapies for cancer.   In fact, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital is one of only a few pediatric centers in the country providing patients access to Phase 1 clinical trials.  Phase 1 clinical trials give patients at University of Michigan access to pivotal early-stage studies, connecting families to novel treatment therapies to patients before they are widely available. At any time, you can ask your doctor or any of our health care professionals about clinical trial participation opportunities or you can view or sign up for studies that are currently recruiting participants at https://umhealthresearch.org.

Take the Next Step

Schedule an appointment by calling us at 734-936-9814.