Jakarta –
Cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. If handled too late, cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can be experienced by children and adults. In children, one of the most common types of cancer is bone cancer or osteosarcoma.
According to an orthopedic and traumatology specialist and orthopedic oncology consultant Dr. Yogi Prabowo, SpOT(K) Onk from Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), bone cancer is a malignant tumor of the bones that occurs a lot in children. If treated too late, cancer cells will spread and cause large lumps. As a result, children must be amputated in order to survive and cause disability.
Cancer bones are of several types. The most common types in children are osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma.
“A lot of osteosarcoma affects teenagers. The highest incidence is aged 10-20 years and causes many problems such as disability, death so that the quality of life of children is reduced,” said Dr. Yogi when met detikcom at RSCM, Wednesday (1/2/2023).
According to Dr. Yogi, bone cancer that occurs in children is generally a primary cancer. That is, cancer cells grow mainly in the bones. Meanwhile, secondary cancer is caused by cancer cells that spread from other organs of the body. Adults usually develop secondary bone cancer. However, they can also experience primary bone cancer, although the chances are less than children.
“Generally, bone cancer in young children is only about 1 percent of all cancers. But even though it is 1 percent, this bone cancer is very malignant and causes many problems in children, so treatment is often delayed because they grow fast,” said Dr. Yogi.
Even though it is relatively small compared to the number of cancer cases in general, the number of bone cancer cases is considered not comparable to the availability of orthopedic oncologists in Indonesia. According to Dr. Yogi, currently Indonesia has 30 orthopedic oncologists. The ideal number is 100 experts throughout Indonesia. The proportion of orthopedic oncologists should also be higher in densely populated provinces such as DKI Jakarta.
The initial symptom of bone cancer is pain that suddenly appears around the knee. The knee is the site of pain because it is an active growth plate or growing bone. Knees contribute 70-80 percent of height growth.
“Other places can also, for example on the shoulder (proximal humerus), wrist, or other bones. But most often the frequency is in the knee joint, causing disability,” explained Dr. Yogi.
Another symptom of bone cancer is that the child’s body turns emaciated because it is eaten away by cancer cells. The skin turns pale because the child lacks blood. Oxygenation throughout the body is also reduced so that children may experience other disorders.
Often parents or children themselves have wrong perceptions regarding the pain that occurs. Children who are actively playing during their growth and development may have fallen. The pain and lumps that grow afterwards are often overlooked so they don’t get medical treatment quickly. As a result, the pain gets worse, the lump enlarges beyond the child’s own body, fractures, and unable to walk.
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