All information given here is of general nature only, a tumor therapy always belongs in the hands of an experienced oncologist.
Synonyms
Bone sarcoma, PNET (primitive neuroectodermal tumor), Askin’s tumor, Ewing’s bone sarcoma
Definition
Ewing sarcoma is a bone tumor originating from the bone marrow, which can occur between the ages of 10 and 30 years. However, children and adolescents up to the age of 15 are mainly affected. Ewing’s sarcoma occurs less frequently than osteosarcoma. Ewing’s sarcoma is located in the long tubular bones (femur and tibia) and in the pelvis or ribs. In principle, however, all bones of the trunk and extremity skeleton can be affected; metastasis is possible, especially in the lungs.
Frequency
The probability of developing Ewing’s sarcoma is < 1:1,000,000, and studies have shown that about 0.6 new Ewing’s sarcoma patients per million residents are diagnosed annually. Compared to osteosarcoma (approx. 11%) and chondrosarcoma (approx.
6%), Ewing’s sarcoma is considered the third most common primary malignant bone tumor. While Ewing’s sarcoma occurs mainly between the ages of 10 and 30 years, the main manifestation is in the second decade of life (15 years). The main manifestation of Ewing’s sarcoma is therefore the growing skeleton, with boys (56%) being slightly more likely to develop Ewing’s sarcoma than girls. If we compare the primary malignant bone tumors of childhood and adolescence, Ewing’s sarcoma is in second place: The proportion of so-called osteosarcomas in children’s bone sarcomas is about 60%, while the proportion of Ewing’s sarcoma is about 25%.
Causes
As explained and explained in the summary, the cause that can be held responsible for the development of Ewing’s sarcoma is not yet fully understood. However, it has been found that Ewing’s sarcoma often occurs when there are skeletal anomalies in the family or when patients suffer from retinoblastoma (= malignant retinal tumor occurring in adolescence) from birth. Research has shown that tumor cells of the so-called family of Ewing’s sarcoma show a change on chromosome no. 22. It is assumed that this mutation is present in about 95% of all patients.
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