Ewing sarcoma: symptoms, prognosis, treatment

Jung's sarcoma is a very aggressive neoplastic disease, named after James Ewing, who first described it. Most often, the disease develops in boys or boys from 5 to 30 years. At another age, the disease almost never occurs. Usually sarcoma is found in boys aged 10 to 15 years. Girls can also suffer from such a disease, but much less often. The disease occurs only in the white race.

Sarcoma is a variety of tumors developing within the bone tissue. Most likely Ewing's sarcoma is localized in the pelvic bones, shoulder joints, tibia. However, it is often accompanied by multiple neuroectodermal neoplasms in soft tissues, peripheral neuroepitheliomas (retinal tumors), as well as the Askin tumor, which is most often localized in the chest.

If a teenager has weakness, fever, swelling in the pelvic bones, shoulder girdle or tibia, an expert may suggest that this is the first stage of the disease, which is called Ewing's sarcoma. Symptoms develop very quickly.

The malaise, the temperature intensifies, the pain in the limb progresses over which the tumor develops. Neoplasm becomes hot to the touch, rapidly increases in size. Gradually on the site of the tumor, the vessels grow considerably, and the muscles become very tense. After a short time limb can not function fully. To make the correct diagnosis, only the doctors can stop the development of the disease.

For diagnosis, use x-ray, ultrasound, bone scan, take a tissue sample for biopsy. Timely diagnosis also helps to establish the degree of the disease.

In the localized stage, tumor formations are located in one part of the body. On a metastatic stage, neoplasms spread to the lungs, bones, bone marrow.

Is it possible to cure such a terrible disease as Ewing's sarcoma? The prognosis of the development of the disease often depends on the time of contact with specialists.

Usually, early treatment allows you to get rid of the disease only with the help of procedures and medications, without resorting to limb amputation, rib removal or other surgery.

Unfortunately, most of the patients diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma address the doctor only when their state of health is extremely poor, and neoplasms have already metastasized. In this case, the surgical removal of the neoplasm, sometimes parts of the bone, is most often performed. In severe cases, limb amputation or rib removal is necessary.

Regardless of whether the operation is performed, all patients are prescribed chemotherapy, radiotherapy.

In any case, Ewing sarcoma is treated no less, and sometimes more than a year.

And early treatment in 80% of cases leads to complete cure. If treatment is started when there were multiple metastases, the prognosis is much worse.

However, today a new radical method of treating patients with poor prognosis has appeared. Complex radio-, chemo-, radiation therapy is combined with bone marrow transplantation or stem cells, which significantly improves the indications.

What triggers the appearance of the disease? The exact answer to this question does not exist yet, but it is established that in 45% of cases of Ewing's sarcoma develops against the background of the received trauma. In addition, some abnormalities in the development of the skeleton and genitourinary system can affect its development.

Prevention of the disease does not exist, because the way of life does not affect the appearance of the disease. However, a sensitive, attentive attitude towards oneself, one's health, timely access to a doctor greatly simplifies the diagnosis, allows to achieve a cure.