Library · Neoplasm
Osteosarcoma
Make it clearer
Osteosarcoma, also called osteogenic sarcoma, is a cancer that starts in the bone itself, which is why it is called primary. Among malignant tumors that start in bone, it is the most common, and about three out of four cases are diagnosed before age 25.
It arises from primitive mesenchymal cells, cells that are still not very specialized and that produce osteoid, the material bone is built from. That is exactly what defines osteosarcoma: its malignant cells make osteoid matrix.
It usually develops near the metaphysis, the flared part of long bones close to their ends, next to the physis, which is the growth plate. The physis is like the active zone of a construction site: it is where the bone grows. Rapid bone growth predisposes to this tumor, and it is most common during the pubertal growth spurt.
In brief
Osteosarcoma, or osteogenic sarcoma, is the most common primary malignant bone tumor, and about 75% of cases are diagnosed before age 25.
It arises from primitive osteoid-producing mesenchymal cells, and its definitive diagnostic feature is the production of malignant osteoid matrix.
It usually develops near the metaphysis of long bones, next to the physis: rapid bone growth predisposes to it, and it is most common during the pubertal growth spurt.
The physis, the growth plate, is the bone's active construction site.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingOsteosarcoma (Osteogenic Sarcoma), StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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