​Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer)

Diagnosing Osteosarcoma

Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about any symptoms you are experiencing.

Symptoms of osteosarcoma

Symptoms may include:

• Deep bone pain that wakes you up
• Swelling or a lump where the tumor is
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue
• Trouble breathing
• Fevers or night sweats

Testing for osteosarcoma

Your doctor also will want to run various tests to confirm the diagnosis of osteosarcoma.

Those tests will include:

• Blood tests to check the level of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (an increased amount of this enzyme is released in patients with bone tumors)
• X-ray
• Bone, CT, and MRI scans
• Biopsy

The sooner osteosarcoma is found and treated, the more favorable the outcome. Once the tumor is found, staging tests are performed to find out if the cancer has spread and, if so, to what extent.

Osteosarcoma Treatments

Treatment depends on:

• Type and stage of cancer
• Location of cancer
• Your overall health

UPMC's neurosurgical team may recommend a combination of surgical and non-surgical approaches to treat osteosarcoma.

Minimally invasive surgery

Surgery for osteosarcomas involves the removal of the cancerous tumor and nearby tissues.

Osteosarcomas of the skull base may be approached directly using Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA). This state-of-the-art, minimally invasive treatment approach allows surgeons to access the tumor through the natural corridor of the nose, without making an open incision. Surgeons then remove the osteosarcoma through the nose and nasal cavities.

EEA offers the benefits of no incisions to heal, no disfigurement, and a faster recovery time.

If you need complementary treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy, those therapies can begin soon after EEA surgery.

At UPMC, we look at your condition from every direction to find the treatment path that is least disruptive to your brain, critical nerves, and your ability to return to normal functioning. We aim to maximize the benefits of surgery while minimizing risks.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy

If the osteosarcoma is large, aggressive, or the risk of spread is high, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be added. This will help prevent a recurrence at the site of surgery and also prevent spread to other organs.

Chemotherapy given before and after surgery will often cure osteosarcoma.