Jeanne’s Story

Ewing’s sarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 45
Date of Diagnosis: February 2005
Location: Nebraska
Surgeon: Howard Rosenthal at Nebraska Medical Center

Diagnosis: I woke up one morning in July of 2004 with terrible pain in my right knee. I was concerned but, because I had badly sprained the same knee some years ago, my first thought was that I had re-injured it somehow. Like a good girl, I made a doctor’s appointment for that day. Surprisingly, just as we reached the doctor’s office, the pain disappeared. I felt really embarrassed, but went ahead with the exam and the x-rays. Everything seemed to be normal. This was the beginning of an eight month cycle of excruciating pain followed by increasingly shorter periods of normalcy. I went to the doctor several times during this period, each time receiving a different diagnosis….knee sprain, torn meniscus, sciatica….until I finally demanded an orthopedic consult. Initially even the orthopedist thought I had some minor joint problem, but then the MRI results came back and I had a rather large mass on the distal femur. Within 48 hours I was at the orthopedic oncology clinic of the Nebraska Medical Center having every test imaginable: CT, bone scan, x-rays, blood work, needle biopsy. At first we thought I would have to have an open biopsy because the results from the needle biopsy were inconclusive. However, the sample was sent out to another pathology lab which ran some sort of DNA/RNA test which was conclusive for Ewing’s. Things moved very quickly from there. I had a bone marrow biopsy, a port inserted, and my first meeting with the medical oncologist. Read more

Carol’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 13
Date of Diagnosis: 1967
Location: Minnesota

Diagnosis: I remember my girlfriend and I were practicing cheer-leading routines as we were about to enter 7th grade and we wanted to be cheerleaders. All of a sudden I hit my knee on my bicycle bar and from that point on, the pain would grow each day. Finally my mom sent me to a chiropractor and he told my mom to get me to an oncologist. The oncologist told my mom that I most likely had osteogenic sarcoma and he recommended that she take me home to die. My family doctor, who was bull headed and stubborn, made arrangements for me to get treatment at St. Mary’s hospital in Rochester MN. Read more

Brian’s Story

Osteosarcoma the Distal Femur
Date of Diagnosis: February 1993
Age at Diagnosis: 25
Location: Massachusetts

Diagnosis: I was 25 years old and working as a police officer in the city of Boston. While making an arrest, I struck my right knee on the ground. I felt a sharp pain shoot up my leg. I was surprised how much it hurt, because I didn’t hit it that hard. I finished the day and went home. I returned at midnight for overtime and my knee seemed fine until I felt more sharp pain while stepping down a small wall and by morning I noticed it was swollen. Best thing I probably did in my life was to write an injury report that day, but naturally I continued to work a double shift. The following day I went to the emergency room. No x-rays were taken and I was told I had a deep bruise and it would be better in a few days. Read more

Art’s Story

Osteosarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 44
Date of Diagnosis: 2006
Location: New Jersey
Hospital: NY Presbyterian-Columbia University

Diagnosis: I was experiencing knee pain after playing ice hockey. Being 44 yrs old at the time and still skating I thought I had an injury so I went to an orthopedist. He gave me naproxen for inflammation. He told me I had a vascular necrosis. He wanted to know if I took steroids. I took large doses of prednisone in the early 80’s for treatment of Hairy Cell Leukemia. The pain was getting worse and after another x-ray he saw something and sent me to an orthopedic oncologist that deals with tumors. Now I was scared because I already had cancer once and couldn’t believe what was happening. They sent me for a bone scan and the fun began. Quickly I had a lung-abdomen CT scan and the next day a biopsy. Read more

Madeleine’s Story

Low-grade Osteosarcoma at the Distal Femur
Age at Diagnosis: 27
Year of Diagnosis: 1991
Location: Massachusetts, USA

Diagnosis: I thought I had twisted my knee when the car moved a little bit when I was getting out. I was feeling some loss of motion. I went to see my primary care doc, who said it was probably just a sprain and to return if it didn’t get better in a couple of weeks. My knee really only bothered me when I tried to squat down, so I didn’t get it checked out until 6 months later. My doc sent me to an orthopedic who took an X-ray. He came back with a medical book and his interpretation: “I’m not qualified to make this diagnosis, but your x-ray looks exactly like this” – pointing at a picture of a starburst tumor. He called immediately to Massachusetts General Hospital and I had an appointment within the week. Surgery was scheduled for the following week, and I spent the weekend between away with my best friend in Vermont, just hiking and having fun. I remember thinking, I don’t feel sick and my leg doesn’t look like anything is wrong with it. I just tried to stay calm and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Prior to surgery, I had a CT scan and bone scan and MRI – I’ve never had such a battery of diagnostic testing since. Read more

Karen’s Story

Parosteal Osteosarcoma at the Distal Femur
Age at Diagnosis: 37
Year of Diagnosis: 2004
Location: Tennessee
Surgeon: Dr. Herbert Schwartz, Vanderbilt

Diagnosis: I went for a physical in September 2004. She did x-rays on my knee and chest. She saw something behind my knee. I went for an MRI. I was sent to an orthopedic doc. They did more x-rays and showed me what they found. It looked like cauliflower behind my knee. They sent me for a CT scan. The orthopedist was not sure of what this was. He told me he was sending this off to a specialist just to be safe. Dr. Schwartz wanted to see me immediately. Read more

Arnold’s Story

Parosteal osteosarcoma at the distal femur
Age at Diagnosis: 33
Date of Diagnosis: 1988
Location: Belgium
Hospital: UZ Pellenberg – Dr. Ignace Samson

Diagnosis: I was 33 years old with parosteal osteasarcoma (left distal femur) in 1988. After 4 operations (2 x donor bone and 2 x prosthesis – last operation in 2000), I am living with a prosthesis without problem. Thanks to Ignace Samson (MD in Leuven – Belgium)! For specific parosteal osteosarcoma survivors join on Facebook “Parosteal Osteosarcoma”.

Treatment: Surgery.

Life Now: Bending the left knee is only 80% possible. I’m married and still working for the Belgian Railways.

« Previous Page — Next Page »