Bone Cancer Kids
How Bone Cancer Amongst Kids Can Be Treated
Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer which mostly occurs among kids. It may start from knee or arm but later may develop in other parts of the body. It becomes therefore essential to know how bone cancer amongst kids can be treated. It has side effects also and the kid has to remain mentally fit to bear the pain of the disease.
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer which is found amongst the kids. Though it begins in bones but slowly may spread to other parts of the body like lungs. It basically begins in the knees and boys are more likely to suffer from it than the girls especially those teenagers who have more than an average height. It is not a common type of cancer but may occur amongst the children aged 10 and 20 years of age. No exact cause has been known for this type of cancer.
Symptoms of Bone Cancer amongst Kids
Initially the child may suffer from pain in the legs or arm especially above or below the knee and or at upper arm near the shoulder. Sometimes the area may become swollen as well and it may become impossible to bear the pain. The muscles in the arm or leg that has cancer may become smaller than the other arm or leg. The bones may even break because of tumour growing inside the leg.
Diagnosing the Cancer
The doctor will conduct a few tests like x-ray, MRI in order to know how much the cancer has spread. He may even conduct a biopsy of the affected area. For biopsy, he may take a small piece of the tumour from the bone, then only it can be confirmed that the child suffers from Osteosarcoma. The doctor may even ask for a CT scan to see whether the nearby bones or lungs have been affected. A bone scan may also be done. Once all the tests have confirmed about the disease, the treatment may start.
Treating Bone Cancer
There are basically two ways in which the disease can be treated. The first is Chemotherapy followed by Surgery. In chemotherapy, medicines are given in order to kill the main tumour cells that are fast spreading; this may last for around 9-12 months. Then the doctors resort to surgery where the tumour is removed along with the bone where it might have grown. The child has to continuously do exercises so that the leg stay fit. Sometimes the child may also have to undergo amputation if the leg has been surgically removed. Even after surgery, the child may have to continuously see the bone cancer specialist for several years and take medicines as well.
He may even have to get regular x-rays, CT scans done just to make sure that the cancer doesn’t come back again.
Effects of Surgery
The child has to bear the side effects of surgery as well like anaemia, abnormal bleeding, kidney damage, menstrual irregularities, skin and heart problems. But on the whole, if proper treatment is followed, the cancer can be cured.
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