Ewing's sarcoma

Ewing sarcoma is a malignant round-cell tumor. It is a rare disease in which cancer cells are found in the bone or in soft tissue. The most common areas in which it occurs are the pelvis, the femur, the humerus, and the ribs.

Symptoms

The shin, thigh, and upper arm are common tumor sites in children and adolescents with osteosarcoma. It is in these areas that pain and swelling occur with the disease. Osteosarcoma can develop in other bones, but it is much less common.

Other symptoms are:

· Movement problems

· Fatigue and fever

· Stiff bones,

· Bone lumps and masses,

· Bone tenderness,

· Anemia, and

· Weight loss.

Causes

Ewing's sarcoma can occur any time during childhood and young adulthood, but usually develops during puberty, when bones are growing rapidly.The tumor may arise anywhere in the body, usually in the long bones of the arms and legs, the pelvis, or the chest. It may also develop in the skull or the flat bones of the trunk.The tumor often spreads (metastasis) to the lungs and other bones. Metastasis at the time of diagnosis is present in approximately one-third of children with Ewing's sarcoma. Rarely, Ewing's sarcoma can occur in adults.

Medical Tests & Diagnosis

· Bone X-Ray: An x-ray test uses high energy electromagnetic radiation to penetrate the body & bones to create their image on a film. Dense tissues or structures appear white, the air black, and other structures in shades of gray

· Computed tomography (CT) is a medical imaging method employing tomography created by computer processing. Digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation.

· Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):This is primarily a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structure and limited function of the body. MRI provides much greater contrast between the different soft tissues of the body than computed tomography (CT) does, making it especially useful in neurological (brain), musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and oncological (cancer) imaging. Unlike CT, MRI uses no ionizing radiation

· Biopsies: A biopsy is a medical procedure that removes a tissue sample for microscopic examination. The biopsy is the most conclusive test because it confirms if the

Treatments

Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a type of local therapy. It affects cells only in the treated area. Radiation therapy is used alone for small tumors or for patients who cannot have surgery. It may be used before surgery to kill cancer cells and shrink the tumor. It also may be used after surgery to destroy cancer cells that may remain in the area.

Surgery: Physicians at Mayo Clinic typically recommend that liposarcomas be surgically removed whenever possible. Surgeons try to remove the primary cancer completely while minimizing the impact on the function and appearance of the affected part of the body. Patients who undergo surgery receive a thorough evaluation by an anesthesiologist prior to surgery.

Computed tomography (CT) is a medical imaging method employing tomography created by computer processing. Digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation.