Sarcoma, Ewing
Treating Ewing sarcoma
Like all types of cancer, the earlier Ewing sarcoma is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat.
Ewing sarcoma is usually treated with a combination of chemotherapy ,surgery and radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy may be used before surgery to shrink the tumour and make it easier to remove.
Ewing sarcoma also responds well to radiotherapy . It can be used to shrink the tumour after chemotherapy, and before or after surgery to lower the risk of the cancer returning.
In some cases, surgically removing Ewing's sarcoma can be difficult for example, if it develops in the pelvis. In this case, radiotherapy may be used as the main treatment.
Surgery
If surgery is recommended, the type you'll have will depend on:
- the size of the tumour
- where it is in your body
- whether it hasgrown into the tissues surrounding the bone
You may have surgery to remove part or all of the bone affected by cancer. This type of surgery is known as resection.
Limb-sparing surgeryinvolves removing the area of bone on an arm or legwhere the cancer is growing. A piece of metal (prosthesis) or a bone graft will be used to replace the piece of bone that is removed.
In some cases, your whole arm or leg may need to be removed (amputation) .This may be the only optionto prevent the cancer returning if it's spread into the tissues surrounding the bone.
For more information about the types of treatment for bone cancer , visit the Cancer Research UK website.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Ewing sarcoma is a rare type of bone cancer. Bone cancer is itself rare, with around 600 cases being diagnosed in the UK each year.
Sarcomas
A sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the body's supporting tissues. Bone sarcomas and soft tissue sarcomas are the two main types. Ewing sarcoma usually occurs in bone. It most commonly de
Symptoms of Ewing sarcoma
The symptoms of Ewing sarcoma will depend on the size of the cancer and where it is in the body. The main symptoms are pain in the affected area that gets progressively worse, and swelling and tender
What causes Ewing sarcoma?
Likeother types of bone cancer, the exact cause of Ewing sarcoma isunknown. As thecondition tends to predominantly affect older children and teenagers, one theory isthat it may be related to fast-gro
Diagnosing Ewing sarcoma
Whenyou visit your GP because of bone pain, they'll ask you about your symptoms and examine the affected area. Your GP may refer you foran X-ray to check for anything abnormal. Ifabnormalities are f
Treating Ewing sarcoma
Like all types of cancer, the earlier Ewing sarcoma is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. Ewing sarcoma is usually treated with a combination of chemotherapy ,surgery and radiotherapy. Chemothera
Living with bone cancer
If you're diagnosed with bone cancer, it can be upsetting andfrightening.Knowing as much about the type of cancer you have and the best treatment options will help youmake decisions. The majority of
Information about you
If you or your child hasEwing sarcoma, your clinical team will pass information about you/your child on to the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service (NCARDRS). This helps
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