1. A Slight Difference Is a Major Discovery
The Ewing family of tumors is a term used to describe a certain type of bone tumor or soft tissue tumor. In 1921, Dr. James Ewing discovered that some tumors in children had some slight differences from the more common tumor called an osteosarcoma. The main difference that he noted was that an Ewing tumor responded to radiation therapy. At that time, this type of tumor was only in the bone. It is now known that an Ewing tumor can be found in the soft tissue as well. Ewing's tumor of bone, extraosseus Ewing's, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) and Askin's tumor all belong to the Ewing family of tumors.
2. Uncontrollable Risk Factors
An Ewing tumor is most commonly found in children ages 10 to 20 years old. Only about 15 percent of Ewing tumors happen outside of this age range. The occur most often in Caucasian males. Ewing tumors account for less that 5 percent of all childhood tumors. In the United States, only about 250 of all tumors diagnosed are part of the Ewing family of tumors.
3. Tricky Symptoms
Symptoms of an Ewing tumor closely mimic the symptoms of osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. The most common symptoms are bone pain, unexplained swelling in the area, fever and stiffness of the affected bone. Some people think that these symptoms are because of a forgotten injury, which delays diagnosis and treatment. Ewing tumors are usually soft and warm when touched. The most common place for an Ewing tumor to occur is in the pelvis. The arms, legs, trunk area, neck and head can also have Ewing tumors, but they are rare in these areas.
4. A Difficult Disease to Diagnose
Diagnosing an Ewing tumor is a long process. In addition to a physical exam that includes an extensive medical history and blood tests, your healthcare professional will order a series of tests. Expect your doctor to order a Computerized Axial Tomography or CT Scan, magnetic resonance imaging or MRI, x-rays and a radionuclide bone scan. If these suggest that you have an Ewing tumor, a bone or tissue biopsy confirms the diagnosis.
5. Fast Treatment Equals Good Response
In general, the treatment for a patient with an Ewing tumor includes radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, bone marrow transplant or a blood stem cell transplant. The type of treatment required depends on the age of the patient, the location of the tumor, the size of the tumor, the course that doctors expect the disease to follow and the patient's desires. Prognosis for someone with an Ewing tumor is good if the tumor is found and treated while it is in the early stages before it becomes widespread.
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