Osteosarcoma is a type of cancer that usually begins in the bones, and can spread throughout the body. Osteosarcoma frequently spreads to the lungs if left untreated, or if treatment is unsuccessful. Osteosarcoma is best treated when caught early, and is usually identified by joint or bone pain that is unexplained and does not improve.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is often used to treat osteosarcoma. Chemotherapy is a combination of drugs used to shrink the tumors, and can be used as the sole treatment or as a preparation for surgical removal of the tumors, depending on the severity of the osteosarcoma. Chemotherapy is often used to shrink the tumor before surgery, to increase the likelihood that the entire tumor can be removed during surgery, and to minimize the area impacted by the surgery.
Surgery
Surgery is often required to remove tumors. There have been many advances in surgical techniques to minimize the number of amputations associated with osteosarcoma. Doctors can now remove tumor and affected bone without removing a limb in many cases, by using artificial bones, bones from other parts of the body, and other advanced techniques. Advances in surgical techniques used to treat osteosarcoma have resulted in higher survival rates, and high limb salvage rates associated with this type of cancer.
Radiation
Radiation is also sometimes used as a followup to chemotherapy and surgery. Radiation treatment is used to remove small tumors and cancer cells from the body that were not able to be removed during surgery, and remain even after chemotherapy treatment has ended. Radiation treatment attacks cancer cells, limiting growth and shrinking existing tumors.
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