General knowledge of osteosarcoma

  Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone, with an annual incidence of about 2 to 3 per 1 million, accounting for 0.2% of all human malignancies and 11.7% of primary bone tumors. Osteosarcoma is more common in adolescents, with approximately 75% of patients aged 15-25 years, with a median age of 20 years, and relatively rare in patients younger than 6 years or older than 60 years.  The disease is more common in males than females, with a ratio of approximately 1.4:1, and this difference is particularly pronounced before the age of 20. Approximately 80% to 90% of osteosarcomas occur in long tubular bones, with the most common sites being the distal femur and proximal tibia, followed by the proximal humerus, which account for approximately 85% of all limb osteosarcomas.  The main site of osteosarcoma is the epiphysis, with relatively rare cases occurring in the epiphysis and diaphysis. The first symptoms of most patients with osteosarcoma are often pain and swelling, with the former occurring earlier than the latter, and approximately 90% of patients have a soft tissue mass on imaging, but not always a localized swelling. Pulmonary metastases are the most common site of metastasis. Historically, amputation was the standard treatment for osteosarcoma, with only 10% to 20% of patients surviving long term, and even if they did, amputation treatment resulted in severe limb dysfunction.  With the continuous improvement of modern imaging and surgical techniques, especially the widespread use of chemotherapy, the level of comprehensive treatment for osteosarcoma has been greatly improved, and limb preservation therapy for osteosarcoma has become a trend, and the 5-year survival rate can be increased to 50%-75%.