Ewing Sarcoma

Ewing sarcoma, called “Yoo-ing” sarcoma, is an aggressive tumor that begins as an abnormal growth of cells in bone or soft tissue around the bone. This type of bone sarcoma typically occurs in children and young adults. It mainly develops during puberty, when bones are growing rapidly.

The tumor typically occurs in the hip, ribs, or long bones, but it can happen in any bone. When it occurs in soft tissue, it affects mainly the chest, abdomen, or arms. It can spread to other parts of your body, including the bone marrow, lungs, kidneys, and other soft tissues.

At Sarcoma Oncology Center, we have access to new treatment approaches and drugs when needed to treat Ewing sarcoma. Our team designs a multimodal approach based on advanced clinical trials.

Understanding Ewing Sarcoma

Ewing sarcoma is a prevalent type of primary malignant bone tumor. It starts in the bone and then spreads to other body parts. While osteosarcoma typically grows in bones around the knee, Ewing sarcoma mainly grows in the bones of the thighs, pelvis, ribs, and upper arms.

Ewing sarcoma is somewhat more common in men than in women and is predominantly found in populations with European ancestry.

The peak age for the occurrence of Ewing sarcoma is between 10 and 15 years, and only 30% of its cases occur in adults over 20. It affects about 200 children and young adults in the United States annually.

There are three main types of Ewing sarcoma based on where the tumor develops.

Bone tumor: This is the most common type of Ewing sarcoma, and it typically affects the thigh bones, pelvis, ribs, or upper arms.
Soft tissue tumor: This type of tumor grows in the soft tissues around the bone, such as cartilage.
Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor: This type of tumor is found in the nerves and can grow in several parts of the body.

Cause & Symptoms of Ewing Sarcoma

The exact cause of Ewing sarcoma is not fully known. Experts have found that it may be caused by changes in the DNA, however, these changes are not considered genetic. It is also not caused by lifestyle or environment.

Ewing sarcoma symptoms start in and around a bone. The most common symptoms include the following.

Lump near the tumor site
Pain in the bone
Constant low fever
Abnormal break in the bone
Pain and swelling near the affected area
Weight loss and decreased appetite
Fatigue
Paralysis and numbness from nerve compression

Diagnosis of Ewing Sarcoma

During the diagnostic procedure, Ewing sarcoma cells appear small, round, and blue under the microscope.

Tests and procedures for the diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma may include the following.

Physical examination is usually the first step of diagnosis. It is done to check for signs such as lumps, redness, and swelling in painful areas.
Imaging tests, such as MRI, CT scan, and PET scan, show the location and size of an Ewing sarcoma.
Bone scan is done to find a tumor in your bone. It can also be done to follow the progress of treatment of Ewing sarcoma.
Biopsy tests involve extracting tissue samples from the affected area to determine the nature of tumor cells.
Bone marrow aspiration is performed to find out if the tumor has spread to the bone marrow.

Treatment of Ewing Sarcoma

The plan for treating Ewing sarcoma is designed based on the following factors:

Your age and overall health
Your medical history
Location and extent of the tumor
Your tolerance to specific medications

For most Ewing sarcoma cases, treatment begins with chemotherapy to shrink the primary tumor. Even if the following treatment approaches differ from one case to another, such as how the tumor is removed or treated at the tumor site, chemotherapy is always the first step.

The treatment of Ewing sarcoma may involve one or more of the following approaches:

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses strong medication to shrink or control the growth of tumor cells. Another round of chemotherapy is given following surgery or radiation therapy to kill tumor cells.
Surgery: Following initial chemotherapy that aims to shrink the tumor, surgery may be performed to remove a small portion of bone and some surrounding tissue.
Radiation therapy: After initial chemotherapy, another imaging test is done to determine whether the tumor is operable. If it is inoperable, radiation therapy may be required. It uses powerful radiation beams to shrink or kill tumor cells.
Clinical trials: Clinical trials are considered when the standard approach of treatment is deemed ineffective for treating the sarcoma. These trials involve new therapies and medications as treatment options.

After the treatment, you will be asked to get X-rays of the original tumor site every three to six months for three to five years. You may also be advised to have regular CT scans of the lungs and periodic bone scans to detect recurrence of the sarcoma as early as possible.

Ewing Sarcoma Treatment at Sarcoma Oncology Center

Ewing sarcoma often requires long-term monitoring for side effects after the treatment. At Sarcoma Oncology Center, we help you through every step of treatment and aftercare.

At our office in Santa Monica, we design personalized and innovative plans for treating Ewing sarcoma.

To schedule a consultation, please call us at 310-552-9999 or request an appointment online.