Pediatric oncologist Filemon Dela Cruz is part of the expert team caring for children and young people with osteosarcoma.
Care for the Most Common Bone Cancer in Children
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children, teens, and young adults. About half of people with osteosarcoma have a tumor near the knee. Osteosarcoma is found in about 400 young people in the United States each year, most often during the growth spurt of the teen years.
The MSK Kids osteosarcoma team brings together pediatric orthopedic surgeons, oncologists, nurses, and others who routinely treat children with this cancer. Our surgeons are especially known for their expertise in removing tumors while preserving a child’s limb function as much as possible. Patients come to MSK from all over the world for these limb-restoring operations, which help get kids back to being busy, active kids.
What are the symptoms of osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma can cause knee pain or pain and swelling in the affected area. Some limb pain during growth is normal for active children and teenagers. But if your child’s pain does not go away in a few weeks or there is a lump or other mass that seems to keep getting bigger, see a doctor.
This information is about osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer that mostly affects children.
What causes osteosarcoma?
Some inherited bone conditions can raise the risk of osteosarcoma. Children treated with radiation for another cancer also have a higher risk of developing osteosarcoma, especially very young children. The disease is more common in boys and slightly more common in African American children than white children.
