Warning signs, symptoms
and treatments of pediatric cancer and Ewing’s sarcoma
Ewing's sarcoma, a type of pediatric cancer,
spreads when tumor cells enter the blood supply and are circulated
to other parts of the body where they may form secondary tumors
(metastases). Chemotherapy is given to kill circulating tumor
cells. Secondary tumors are most commonly found in the lungs
and other bones. Tumor cells may also spread via the lymphatic
system. Also, tumors can spread by direct growth of the primary
tumor.
What are the symptoms of Ewing's sarcoma?
Symptoms of Ewing's sarcoma vary from patient to patient and
depend on the location and size of the cancer.
The most common symptoms are:
Pain and swelling or tenderness in the affected area. Pain
may become very intense when the tumor is located near important
nerves.
Swelling is prevalent, especially when the long bones of
the arms or legs are affected.
Fractures may be caused by weakening of the bones related
to tumors.
Other symptoms of cancer may include tiredness, fever,
weight loss, and anemia.
However, none of these symptoms is a sure sign
of cancer which is why early detection and prognosis is so important
as well as a knowledgeable doctor who is willing to take the
proper tests at his disposal.
What are the treatments for Ewing’s sarcoma?
Pediatric cancer patients with Ewing's sarcoma receive a combination
of cancer-fighting drugs (chemotherapy) as well as surgery or
radiation. Even when the tumor is detected at a very small size,
there may be evidence of microscopic spread. For this reason,
Ewing's sarcoma requires treatment to the entire body. This
treatment includes chemotherapy which should destroy pediatric
cancer cells which have spread to the rest of the body, and
to shrink the main mass of tumor cells.
In about 80 percent of Ewing's sarcoma cases involving an arm
or leg, the limb can be saved, if there was no failure to diagnose
this pediatric cancer disease. Significant limb-saving techniques
include bone grafts, rotation-plasty, and prosthetic implants.
Pediatric cancer patients may also participate in clinical trials.
Clinical trials for children and adolescents with pediatric
cancer are generally designed to compare potentially better
therapy with therapy that is currently accepted as standard.
Most of the progress made in identifying curative therapies
for childhood cancers has been achieved through clinical trials.
The Ewing’s sarcoma family of tumors include:
Ewing’s tumor of bone; extraosseus (tumor growing outside
of the bone); primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), also known
as peripheral neuroepithelioma; and Askin’s tumor (PNET
of the chest wall). These tumors are rare diseases in which
malignant cancer cells are found in the bone and soft tissues.
Ewing’s family of tumors most frequently occur in teenagers.
The most common types of pediatric cancer are
leukemia, lymphoma, and tumors in the brain or abdomen. Suspect
pediatric cancer in a child with any of the following symptoms:
unexplained bruises
persistent oozing from mouth or nose
bone pain that is not localized to a specific area and
wakes the child at night
limping or unable to bear weight
backache
swollen lymph glands that do not reduce in size –
biopsy recommended
