Early diagnosis key to rare bone cancer cure

The risk of Ewing's Sarcoma, a bone cancer which occurs mostly in children aged between 10 to 20 years, can be reduced by early diagnosis and treatment, a doctor said in New Delhi on Friday.

'Ewing's Sarcoma is the second-most common bone cancer in children. It accounts for one percent of all childhood cancers. It usually develops during puberty when bones are growing rapidly,' Dr. Amita Mahajan, senior consultant, paediatrician, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said in a statement. 'It is a cancerous tumour that grows in bones or soft tissue near bones and can develop anywhere in the body. It mostly affects arms, legs, ribs, spinal column and pelvis,' Mahajan added.

Patients and doctors often miss or overlook the early symptoms of Ewing's Sarcoma because many maladies, ranging from infections to accidental injuries, can cause symptoms that resemble the cancer.

'If found early enough before it spreads to multiple organs, Ewing's sarcoma can be treated successfully in 50 to 75 percent of cases. Treatment involves a combination of chemotherapy, surgery or radiation. With early diagnosis and proper treatment, many children who develop it have a good chance of recovery,' the doctor added.

Source: IANS