What Is Ewing Sarcoma?

Posted Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Did you know? Approximately 1% of all cancers in children are Ewing sarcoma tumors.

Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive tumor mainly affecting adolescents and young adults, representing about 10-15% of all bone sarcomas.

Ewing sarcoma is a form of cancer that develops from cells in bones surrounding soft tissues, primarily affecting children and young adults. While it can occur in any bone, it normally begins in the bones of the legs and pelvis. Ongoing research and development of new treatments have helped many Ewig sarcoma patients to live longer cancer-free. 

01 | Signs and Symptoms

Parents and caregivers may confuse the symptoms of Ewing sarcoma with sports injuries. A key difference, however, is that Ewing sarcoma symptoms can initially fade and then return or worsen. Common symptoms include:

• Bone pain that comes and goes
• Swelling in the tissue around bones
• Fever that does not go away
• Fatigue and unexpected weight loss
• Bone fracture
• A lump in the arm, leg, chest or pelvis

02 | Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma typically starts with a physical exam. Depending on the results of the exam, additional tests and procedures may be required, such as:

• Imaging tests — show the size and location of an Ewing sarcoma
• A biopsy — involves the extraction of a tissue sample for laboratory analysis 
• Blood tests — determine if the cancer has spread

3 | Treatments

Determining the treatment for Ewing sarcoma depends on the patient’s situation. Common treatments include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy.

• Chemotherapy may be used as the initial treatment for the cancer to shrink the tumor, aiding in surgical removal.
• Surgery is sometimes done to remove all the cancerous cells.
• Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to treat the cancer. This treatment may be suggested after surgery to kill the remaining cancer cells.

Learn More

For more information on Ewing sarcoma and supportive resources, please visit mayoclinic.org.

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References

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ewing-sarcoma/symptoms-causes/

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/ewing-tumor/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559183

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21752-ewings-sarcoma